A new Inquisition
by Atilas
Summary: Following an encounter with a Deamonhost and a rushed teleportation, Inquisitor Kali find herself on a new world. Now stranded, away from the Imperium and in a place ignorant of the dangers of the Warp, what will she do? Rebuild the Inquisition would be a good start. Rated M for freedom. Strange/Bad English
1. Prologue

This is my first try at this. Also, it's my first time writing something so long in english, so sorry in advance. I did the best I could but there should be a lot of mistakes left. Again, sorry.

Disclaimer: Warhammer 40 000 is a property of Games Workshop. Legend of Korra belong to Nickelodeon.M rating : This fanfict contains some blood and gore, including dismemberment and occasional beheadings, whenever it is necessary for the plot, historical accuracy, or to look awesome.

* * *

For Kali, this day was pretty average. She had completed her two months undercover investigation, had discovered the location of the local Chaos cult, had finally been able to trade her skimpy gambler outfit for a Sororitas power armor and a combination of her favorites weapons, had led an assault against said Chaos cultist, had engaged into a fight with a furie, ending with its stomach erupting from its throat, and had come face to face with a Daemonhost. Everyday occurrence really. Then again, being an Inquisitor probably mean that her days had some slight difference from the typical imperial citizen. In any way, it's after that that thing became weird. But for those wanting a deeper understanding of the event and its consequences, what follow should help.

* * *

**Proverb of the day** : _In the grim darkness of the future, there is only war._

Well, not exactly. There is also a lot of farming involved to feed all of the Imperium population, a lot of mining, a lot of manufacturing, a lot a sex to produce the millions of soldiers that the Imperium stupidly sacrifice each day, a lot of economy and so on, so on. Because, realistically, if each planet on the Imperium was at war, it wouldn't last ten second. Also, if the enemy of the Imperium could muster such an army, resistance would be kinda pointless. Anyway, why there is only war is probably because the Imperium at large as been at war with everything in the galaxy, including itself a couple of time, constantly since it's creation for the simple reason that everyone . The stagnation of the Imperium of Mankind is only one of it's many problems, but it's one that corrupt so much of it and whose resolution would help so much. That the base of this empire is a murderous lie also don't help.

**Journal of Inquisitor Kali of the Ordo Hereticus. Date unknow.**

**Underhive Mithral, planet Garrius, 246 955. M41, Sector Calixis.**

Kali was fulminating as she was forcing her way through the metal corridor of the Hive Imperial Guard barrack, making the peoples in front of her hastily step aside while forcing the ones following her to run to keep up with her. The perk of having two legs with synthetic muscles graft. Jogging at her left was the person responsible for her irritated state, a PDF lieutenant that had not even started to shave.

"Inquisitor please, calm down." His voice was trembling with apprehension. Though it is unsure if it was because of the Inquisitor or something else.

"I'll calm down when I'll get my troops!" Her voice was vibrating with frustration to the point of making the young lieutenant take a step back.

She knew he was not responsible for her problem. Too young and not high enough on the hierarchy. Still, she needed someone to blame and until she found a higher grade and until then he was gonna have to endure her. Fortunately, this did not last long for she, only a minute later and almost literally, collided with a Guard Colonel and his suite. A muscular six feet man bearing a walrus mustache, the Colonel had to raise his head to look the woman in the eyes and was really not happy about it.

"Inquisitor. What are you doing here?" The ironic smug smile on his face showed he already knew.

"Looking for my sock troopers. Colonel." She slightly leaned over him. "Unless PDF are considered elite around here?"

Anger flashed in his eyes at the insult. "You little..."

Before he had time to spit his insult, the colonel was interrupted by the tap of a staff against his shoulder. 'Damn' thought Kali. She could have used this as a argument for executing him. Not that she really needed one but it would have helped.

The men responsible for stopping the Colonel came forward, stepping out of the retinue. Dressed in heavy white and golden robes, imperial eagles and large leather prayers books hanging from his waist and neck was an agent of one of Kali most vicious and fanatic enemy, the Ecclesiarchy. With a paternal mask on his face, the cleric addressed the Inquisitor.

"Peace Inquisitor. We understand your concern. It is unfortunate that the elite guards that you wanted to protect you have been redeployed to some more important mission." Kali felt the urge to grab the priest staff and bash his skull with it. "But I can assure you that the soldiers who will accompany you all have the strongest faith in the God-Emperor and their mission. The purging of the mutant and psyker is the sacred duty of all His servant."

Kali grinned at the emphasis on the word psyker. "Of course cleric."

"Father Uriel."

"Of course Cleric. But the level of competence between a PDF and shock trooper is substantial."

"Faith will lead them to victory"

"Or the grave."

"If it is the will of the Emperor, so shall it be."

There was not logic or reason that she could invoke here that would have changed the situation. She knew it and they knew it. In fact, they were pretty much saying that she should fell honored of being attributed five PDF troopers for her assault against a chaos cult. A couple of decades earlier she would have repainted the wall with their bloods. Now, she simply sighed. Clearing the ranks of both the Ecclesiarchy and the local Guard would only get her more enemies and she had already enough. So, she resorted to another way of insulting them that wasn't dead related. Kali extended her arm, putting on a humbly defeated face mask.

"You are right Cleric. Colonel, it was a pleasure to meet you."

The walrus mustache military man smiled with arrogance, certain of his superiority over the girl facing him. The moment he shook her hand, his assurance was crushed, same way his hand was. Kali bionic hand tightened itself around the Colonel palm, slowly compressing it and breaking the fragile bones. Around his men, the military man could not show any sign of being in pain and, as such, Kali had the pleasure to see all the twist, grin, torsion and other complex motion of the visage of a man trying his best, and partly failing, at hiding his suffering. She relished in this moment before reluctantly letting go. Swiftly she turned back, flapping her leather coat on their faces before walking away.

"I'll await my troops in my room Colonel. Farewell."

* * *

Of all the planets in the Imperium, this damned cult had to choose one of the most misogynist world possible. Once this case over, she was seriously considering shooting half the government for incompetence and damn be the Ecclesiarchy. Then, she calmed herself and started making a mental list. She identified the persons she could make disappear without problems, the ones she could blackmail or buy and the ones she couldn't touch. Then, the persons who would help her recruit others, the one who would lead the public movements, the ones capable of leading after and etc. There would be a revolution up the ass of those guy before they knew it. Maybe she could even attract Lyra into the thing with a trading deal, Rogue Trader can't resist nice deal. Plus, she would be good company.

* * *

Now in the room that the local military had assigned her, a disused depot, she was leaning against a wall and meditating. Even in this bastion of Imperial power she could feel the turbulence of the Warp, waves of madness that were crashing against her defense and the shadowy presences of the Warp predators constantly circling around her mind. Some inquisitors of the Ordo Hereticus try to justify the fact of being psyker that hunt psyker, saying that the will of the Emperor was manifesting itself through them or other such reasons. For Kali, the reason why a psyker would go and hunt other like him was simple. Only one who his constantly aware of the danger of the Warp, live with the knowledge that the briefest failing of his mind can have world ending consequences, can really understand the dangers of unsanctioned psykers and witches. It was those reflexions that occupied her mind when she spotted five pale flames coming her way.

Lucas Ryley was pissed off. The ninth child of some fairly minor noble house, he had pushed back his engagement into the PDF for the longest time possible. Once in, he had spent the most of his training trying to escape said training. It's only his family money and influence that had kept him from getting expelled. Now a sergeant in the PDF, more because of his name than any real capacity, he passed his day by bullying new recruits and generally abusing his power. Today, he had been summoned by the higher up and told to bring four troopers with him for a patrol. When the he asked why, the Colonel told him to shut up and obey. Useless to say that this did not put him in good mood. Now accompanied by the first four troopers he had come across, he was heading toward the old depot where he was supposed to meet the officer leading the patrol. Understandably, he was surprised when all he found was a cute girl in a leather coat leaning on the wall and half asleep.

"Well, look at that. Hey! Cutie pie!"

She heard the soldier shout. Now, after having passed a whole month into the Underhive, there was nothing he could have said that would have shocked. Still, she was surprised such a low grade soldier, even a PDF, had dared say such an insult to an Inquisitor. Worse if he didn't knew she was an Inquisitor because it demonstrated a lack of respect and discipline. Both of which are basics for a good military and essential for any soldiers. In short, she was not impressed, not confident for the mission and started considering shooting the dumbass. With this established in Kali mind, she opened her eyes and walked past the thug in uniform. Only to get slapped on the ass.

Lucas was never considered a very intelligent men. He was lazy, hateful and greedy but not particularly dumb. Though, he was pretty stupid when it come to women. Brutish kind of stupid. A combination of his father education and the fact the only womens that he had ever gotten were the ones he had paid. So, in light of this fact, one can understand why Lucas had just done what he had done. Kali did not knew that and even if she had it wouldn't have changed what followed.

The Inquisitor turned to the man, quick reading of his grade on his chest, sergeant. She put a predatory smile on her face.

"So, Sergeant, I suppose nobody told you why you are here and who I am?"

Lucas felt strange. It was rare for him to find a woman taller than him, one who looked him straight in the eyes or simply one that seemed to be not at all intimidated. Furthermore, he was feeling what seemed like the beginning of a headache. Kali, her, passed the non-existent mental defense of the man and sent her will bore through his mind. She could hear all the little that happened in the idiot brain as well as the others PDF in the room, knowing what they thought and would do before them.

"What. You're the command sugar? Lost your way to the Colonel office? You know you're not suppose to be here but I could let you good if you're nice." Feeling threaten, he took refuge in stupidity and the habits learned in his previous interaction with the other sex. It was not the smart thing to do.

"Sergeant Lucas. I must say that you truly represent the PDF for me. I am Inquisitor Kali of the Ordo Hereticus and the mission you, me and the others present in this room will accomplish today is a raid against a chaos cult."

Fear sprung into all the troopers mind. First reason, the heretic, one of humanity worse enemy who dared to question the divinity of the God-Emperor. They probably only had seen them in propaganda revue. Second reason, the Inquisition. The left hand of the Emperor had a reputation as dark and mysterious as the Chaos, if not more.

"You're joking, right?"

Kali smile grew cold. "No sergeant. In fact, I don't expect any of you to survive the first ten minutes."

Lucas started laughing nervously. "Yeah. If they're sending a girl I don't think it will be that hard." The room temperature slowly started to rise, unnoticed only by Lucas.

"You know what sergeant, if you can it me before I kill you. You can skip this mission and I will make sure you get, at least, named captain."

She cross her hand on her chest, waiting. The air around her was being slowly filled with ashes, swirling in the now so hot atmosphere that it blurred sight. Lucas took a step back when the wall of burning air hit him. The women in front of her was now standing in the middle of an inferno of cinders and ashes, her eyes filled with blazing white energy. He was heavily sweating, trembling and shivering before reduced to nothing more than a babbling baby in front of this agent of death. His throat was irritated by the burning ash, making him cough, his eyes were dry and hurt by just looking at her, making him cry. Kali, on the other hand, was pouring all of her accumulated frustration on this psychic manifestation and enjoying every moment of it. The fire was fueled by all her rage and contempt for this world, rapidly becoming a blazing flame that she could barely contain inside her soul. Her voice transformed by the power coursing through her sounded like thunder and lighting hitting a burning forest.

"What are you waiting for Lucas. Go ahead. Hit me."

He fell on his knee, a hot liquid soaking his pants for a second before being dried in a second by the scorching manifestation of raw power.

"5, 4, 3, 2, last chance." She was expecting a blind rush or some other kind of attack but it seem he wasn't even capable of moving. Shouldn't have surprised her, she could hear his thought after all. " As you wish. 1, 0.

She liberated the power inside her, conjuring a conflagration that engulfed the kneeling man. Not a scream was heard has is entire skin was set ablaze, mostly because the air around him and inside his lungs had been instantly consumed by the intense raging flames. It only took a moment for his eyes to melt and his brain to be reduced to the equivalent of burned soup. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room as the water inside the sergeant was transform into steam. His fat and muscles were fused together by the heat before being reduced to a black crisp that felt from the bones and was transform into ashes. In total, it only took a mere five seconds to turn this six-foot man into a small pile of cinders and burned crumbling bones. A large scorch circle would soon be the only sign that there had been a man there.

Still smiling, Kali turned towards the others terrified troopers hiding in the corners. They were trembling and looking at her with rightful terror. She took note of that. Next time she would land on a dumb misogynist world, her first move would be to carbonize a PDF. That would give her some respect or a least a normal degree of fear.

Back to the scared PDF. She marched up to them, towering over the troopers in a menacing way.

"Now, soldiers. As I said, I don't think any of you will survive the assault against the heretics. But, your chance will greatly improve if your swallow your pride, follow my orders to the letters and remember your training. Understood?"

They nodded, still in shock.

"Good"

She plucked a little box from her pocket and hit a switch.

"Don't move and don't panic."

* * *

In retrospective, it is quite obvious that saying that wasn't gonna calm them and it really didn't helped their nerves when little lightning sparks started to appear in the air with a smell of ionization. Then, an instant later, a blinding light filled the room and Kali felt like every atoms in her body was teared apart, which was probably what was happening on some level, and her nerves were set in fire. It lasted for approximately one second before abruptly stopping and leaving her gasping for air. The scorched depot had been replaced by a dark room lit by large candles and the blinking lights of massive arcane machinery. On the grounds, runes still crackling with energy were forming a large circle. Around them, massive piece of millennia old technology were pointed at them, each having large cable protruding from them like some kind of giant snake that were wrapped around their humanoid servants hidden back in the dark.

From the obscurity, a strange man came. Clad in dark red robes, the five foot man had his face veiled by shadow. Large mechadendrites were coming from his clothing, bearing needles, saw, press, claws, wrench and other tools. His step were heavy, metallic but calculated to be the most efficient possible as he approached the group. The terrified PDF were frozen. Kali, smiling, took a step in his direction, a welcome between her lips.

Only to be interrupted by a high speed thing covered in feathers that slided past him and crashed into Kali.

"Solomon!"

Kali extended her arm in front of her, giving the large eagle a place to rest on which he immediately landed. The large animal feathers were of a deep black while the tip was in a golden tone, as were his sharp beak and claws. On his own, the eagle was a deadly predator. With the enhancement he had received, Solomon had become almost unstoppable. Mechanically, his right eyes had been replaced by a bionic connected to the also bionic eyes of Kali, had had numerous artificial muscle added and even had got anti-grav flight helping equipment and cogitator connected to his brain. Psychically, Kali was linked to him on a deep level. She could feel how Solomon felt, what he saw, what he tasted. Well, in a certain range that is. A range which did not extend up to the massive distance that is the one between someone in a Underhive and another in an orbiting cruiser. Now reunited after more than a month, the bird was happy to be pampered by Kali. Letting go little cries of satisfaction, almost like a purring cat. This act lasted for some time before the Inquisitor remembered where she was and who was watching.

Reluctantly, she put the splendid eagle on her shoulder and faced the servant of the Omnissiah.

"Magos Nikonov, you can't understand how happy I am to see you."

"Welcome Inquisitor" His voice was plane, without any emotional intonation and as calculated as his step were. "Supposition, your presence here indicate the end of the investigation and an imminent assault."

"Correct, as always." Under the hood a green light flashed for a second, the equivalent of a smile. "These men with me are my support for the assault. Can you equip them?"

"Of course. Shock troopers I assume."

Kali's face winced. "PDF."

Two red light flashed. "I see. We will do our best."

"I'm sure."

Rapid beep came from where his face should have been and almost instantly four tech-priest step out of the darkness, surrounding the soldiers. They spoke in unison.

"Please follow us to the armory."

Huddling together like children, they followed the menacing figures.

Once relatively alone, the Magos and the Inquisitor continued their conversation.

"So, Nikonov, have you finished the modification on my Carnodon?"

"Yes Inquisitor, follow me."

Magos Nikonov was, even for the Adeptus Mechanicus, a little odd. With his experience and knowledge, he could have easily get the command of a forge world. The only problem was that in this position, it would take lass than a minute for him to be condemned as heretek and turned into a servitor. To avoid that, he had chosen the path of an Explorator. Thus, ensuring that he could continue to experiment, invent and push the limit of the Mechanicus laws completely unchecked. Well mostly. Even an Explorator has superior and this was the reason why Nikonov had accepted to act as transport for Kali and his master before her. What better cover from authority are there than an Inquisitor. In exchange for their cooperation, Kali and her master got access to something that would get them hunted and executed if proved. Knowledge of some the technological secrets of the Adptus Mechanicus. Of course, not even Nikonov would be as extreme as to reveal the full range of scientific lore possessed by the Mechanicus. But, their level of expertise was probably between an Engineer and a Tech-priest.

Another important point was the favorite subject of Nikonov, as well as Kali, which was weaponry in all their forms. As such, Kali was always assured to wield the most powerful and adapted gun for the situation. It also meant that, as long as she didn't mention Nikonov or show knowledge she wasn't supposed to have, servants of the Omnissiah were generally well disposed towards her. Short, she could disassemble almost any weapons of the Imperial arsenal with her eyes closed and reassemble it all the same. Archeotech and Xenotech, she left them to the Magos.

* * *

They made their ways through the Cruiser to the Magos personal workstation. There, laid on a desk, itself in the middle of a control chaos, was Kali heavily modified Carnodon Pattern Precision Hand Cannon. The heavy pistol was already a fine piece of technology on it's own, shooting high caliber rounds with great accuracy. But the upgrade she and the Magos had made had given him even more of a punch. A red-dot laser sight had been added to help her aim and a loyalty spirit had been conjured into the weapon by the prayers of the Magos, ensuring only Kali could fire the weapon. Two useful enhancements. But most powerful and helpful was the Maglev Impeller. This arcane system created a magnetic field inside the barrel of the gun, propelling the bullet at great velocity without recoil. The powerful battery needed to power the device was contained in the revolver handle and was as durable as a lasgun powerpack and as easily rechargeable. In short, with this device Kali could simply load steel ball into the gun and they would have the same stopping power as a normal bullet. But rather than such crude munitions, the Carnodon was loaded with Organgrinder rounds. With no need for propellant, an other mechanism had been installed inside the munition. The result was that once the bullet had penetrated the target, blade sprung from the core and started to spin inside the body of the enemy, grinding his inside. Of course, all of this had made the gun quite heavy compared to others pistols but Kali's bionic arm was strong enough to easily compensate the difference.

Just beside the gun was a more primitive kind of weapon that was no less deadly. A sword with a long and thin blade, more than a meter long and two and a half centimeters of width. The metal from which the rapier was made was from the legendary Lathe worlds, giving it unparalleled strength and structure. The blade edge was paper thin, yet, still flexible enough to withstand the most powerful blows. Even a power field was not enough to shatter the metal. When being wielded by Kali, the rapier was singing in the air and dancing with lightning. The complicated guard of intertwining golden metal threads had little runes inscribed into them, same as the handle and the blade. When resting, they were invisible to everything but the sharpest eye. But when Kali was holding the rapier, they glowed of an eerie red. Like if the metal just had been pulled back from a blazing fire. Seemingly coming from these runes, a blue fire was covering the blade. Inside these ethereal flames, little lightning sparks were crackling and dancing. What these flames and lightning bolts were was the manifestation of Kali psychic potency channeled through the metal by the runes. Anyone wounded by it would feel the raw power of the Warp running inside their body, an almost certain death.

Kali took the weapons with a mix of admiration and excitement. Inspecting them attentively, she relished in the details of the weapons, both the meticulous aesthetic carving and the more mechanical but nonetheless beautiful calibrations. After having extended her examination for the longest time possible, she loaded the gun, kissed the sword and slip both into a holster and a scabbard marked with hexagramatic wards that she then attached around her waist.

"Are the weapons meeting your expectation?" The cold voice brought Kali back to reality.

"It's beautiful."

Three green dot beeped.

"Excellent. Let's continue."

The rest of the equipment was as impressive, if not more. In combination with the Carnodon, she wielded another pistol type weapon for truly heavy target. A Wrath plasma pistol with fine golden carving, a red-dot sight and the power to shoot a miniature sun at her enemies faces. Awesome and practical. Lower on her body she carried a vicious and loud chainknife, capable of tearing apart and terrifying almost any enemy. More discreet was the digi-melta taking the form of a skull ring that she wore on her right index. The ability to melt a traitor space marine on the spot combined with the little girlie fancy of Kali for the ring. Seriously, what kind of girl wouldn't like a black onyx ring with a golden skull carved on it, two ruby eyes and the capacity to shoot melta ray through the nose

Another addition to this arsenal was one of the best armor of the Imperium coupled with one of the best and most complete protection in the galaxy. The first was a set of Sororitas power armor painted to the colors of the Inquisition. Possessing all the high-tech equipments and protection capacity associated with the power armor without being transformed into a giant target. All the surfaces and clothing were in a deep black while the under armor, the rivets, decorations, trims and the belt were in gold. On her back was also her flack coat arranged into a cape, reinforcing her Inquisitor persona and hiding Damaskin Kineblades. The other protection was even more extraordinary, when it worked. Dissimulated into a small necklace in the shape the Inquisition symbol, the conversion field projected an invisible force field capable of stopping the most powerful weapon. When it worked. Kali sensed that one day some desperate person will shoot her with the most underpowered pistol possible and her power field would fail, killing her on the spot. Some would say it his pessimistic, Kali would say the universe his a dick. Finally, last but not the least was the only modification that the armor had received. On the back of the left hand glove rows of discharge tubes pre-loaded with solid metal bolt had been installed, allowing Kali to hurl metal slug without dropping her weapons. The sturdy contraption could even be used in melee to swing lethal punch.

It took half an hour for Kali to gear up. But the glee and jubilation that Kali felt during all of the process might have extended the process a little, especially the ten minutes it took her to choose her grenades. A mix of micro frag and egerian geode being her final choice.

"Is everything on order Inquisitor?"

"As always Nikonov."

* * *

They then started the walk back to the teleportarium.

"Have you got a lock on the beacon?"

"Yes. Even under the numerous layers of the Hive we managed to get a strong signal."

"Good."

"I do suppose it is your doing."

"I connected it the power line they have diverted for their own use."

"Using the Enemy crime against them. Effective"

"Thank."

When they entered the piece containing the arcane wonder, the four PDF had been transformed into fearsome elite troopers clad in dark carapace armor and wielding menacing looking hellgun. 'Well, thought Kali, as long as no one look to close. Then they would see shivering children desperately clinging to their weapons. Kali was feeling pity for them. Because of their superiors disdain for her, they had been condemned to die. For a second, she considered sending them back home. But then, it would only extend their life up until the time their officers found them and executed them for desertion or some others stupids reasons. She walked up to them, only to see them make a step back. Guess a black power armor and an eagle on the shoulder give some kind of aura. She sighed.

"Men. I know you are scared, but you are now protected by one of the best armor of the Imperium and wielding weapons designed to bring the most efficient death to His enemy. If you keep faith in His will and stand strong in the face of the tainted enemy of the God-Emperor, you will come back."

That was a load of bullshit but it seemed to calm them, if only a little.

"Now. We will be teleported into the sewer system of the Underhive and from there make our way to the bodies storage room." One of them gulped loudly. "There, we will enter by the back of the heretics lair and send their soul back to the Warp. The resistance should be light at first, only mutants and the usual scum. Once deeper inside we should encounter heavier forces, maybe minors witches or heavy mutants. Leave the chief to me. Understood?"

They nodded. After that, it was simply a matter of according their micro-bead frequency, checking all their weapons one last time and a prayer to the Emperor. Personally, Kali felt he had other things to worry about than them. But, for having seen Battle-Sisters fight, she could not doubt the real power of faith.

* * *

When the lightning accompanying the teleportation faded, Kali and the PDF where left in the dark with water almost as high as their waist. In a second, the photo-visor of the armors kicked in and transformed a pitch black into a low daylight. But the sluggish green water remained, unfortunately. Slowly, they started making their way through the sewer of the Underhive. Long tunnels of low quality ceramite covered with Gray mold, small tunnels so rusted that only a little hit was enough to make it crumble and local fauna. What a lovely walk. During the half of a mile walk they only encountered some rats but it was enough to make one of the soldier to scream. Really, screaming because of a three kilograms rat. To make him stop, Kali grabbed a combat knife from one of the other PDF and jabbed it through his throat. The rat one, not the soldier one. Now she had regret about her target choice.

The first contact was at around fifty meters of their entry point where the tunnel they were following came to a T intersection. A pair of deformed mutant were manning a heavy stubber and blocking the main tunnel, entrenched on a little platform. Kali turned toward the men, silent to the exterior but very clear on the inside of everyone helmets.

"Listen up, Solomon will provide a distraction by passing through the maintenance hole. When I give you the signal, you shoot them."

"Mam." The voice was low. "Who's Solomon?"

"Him." She pointed the eagle who was awkwardly walking through a small hole into a large empty pipe.

"Heu... okay."

They waited a couple of minutes, Kali following the progression of her friend by it's bionic eyes. He crawled along the pipe before coming out in the sewers a couple of meters behind the two insult to humanity. He jumped in the air, sliding just above the head of the first mutant and scraping one of the multiples eyes of the second.

"Go."

With gawky movements, the carapace covered troopers advanced in the tunnel, unleashing a volley of high powered laser in the direction of the two things. They should have irremediably burn them, evaporating the water on their Bodies, burning their fat and annihilating their nerves with each laser hit.

A shame all they managed to hit were the walls, the water and the roof. There was a brief moment of silence while everyone was trying to understand what had just happened. A silence that was shattered by the roaring sound of a heavy stubber in full auto. Large rounds started to fill the tight space, digging hole in the ceramite walls or ricocheting at strange angles. Calmly, Kali left hand reached for her Carnodon handle, drew the weapon and waited. Through the eye of Solomon, some fifty meters away and just over the head of the two shooters, she was looking at the ammunitions belt being quickly emptied. The moment that the roar ended, she left her cover, extended her arm and in a rapid succession sent three bullets into the mutants. The two first one hit the gunner, one under the shoulder which bounced into his lung and the other in the stomach. Almost immediately he fell to the ground, holding his belly in a vain attempt to stop his insides from being shredded. The second Damned was hit at the pelvis which instantly shattered. With both leg useless, he fell in the water, struggling to stay afloat for a moment before stopping forever and sinking into the dark water.

The Inquisitor turned toward the soldiers. "Everyone okay?"

"I'm hit!" One of the PDF was fold in half, his hands clamped on his torso.

"Were are you hit?" She moved up to him.

"My chest, it hurt!"

"Let me see."

"No!"

"Let me see."

"No, it hurt too much!"

It was really getting annoying really fast. Rather than continue, she simply grabbed his arm and push it aside to reveal a perfectly fine carapace chestplate without any hole in it.

She sighted loudly. "Oh, God-Emperor help me."

"I'm dead, Emperor, I'm dead right."

She slapped him. "You're fine, idiot."

"But." He was whining at this point. "I feel... hurt."

"That is usually a normal reaction after having been shot."

"But..."

Kali turned away. "Okay everyone, moving on."

One of the PDF spoke. "But, and him?"

"He can walk, but you can carry him if you wish."

They all staid silent, well, expect the falsely hurt.

"What. Help, please."

For Kali, the drawback of dragging this guy had officially exceed the advantage. She raise her gun.

"You can either walk, be carry by your friends or be silenced. Choose. Now."

Almost immediately, he sprung on his feet.

"I'm okay mam."

"Good. Next one who complain won't go any warning. That clear?"

All in unison. "Yes mam!"

"Now shut up and follow."

It's pretty much at this point she started completely ignoring the PDF accompanying her. Kali reloaded her pistol, put both of her weapons back in their sheaths, walked up to the heavy stubbed, looked closely for symbol of the Enemy, found none, quickly cleaned up, reloaded it, picked it up, braced it against her arm and continued her walk. None of the PDF even dared to utter a single world. At this point, discretion was completely out of the way, so the only thing left to do was to blast their way through in the most loud, powerful and messy fashion possible. And so when they encountered the next enemy, a men with a second half-formed head on his shoulder, marked by the eight-pointed star and scavenging a pile of twisted bodies, Kali simply unleashed a burst of bullets without a thought. The heavy caliber munitions tore him in half, from the right of his waist to his left shoulder. The two bloody part of flesh fell atop the rotting pile, giving it another layer of crimson red.

The metal door on the wall at the right of the pile was opened by a panicked looking girl who had three seconds to understand the situation before being shredded by a hail of bullets. Cervical matter, gut, entrails, bones shards, meat and others parts repainted the door. Kali had not even stopped walking during both those actions and reached the door before it had time to slam. The piece she entered was the equivalent of staff room and contained around six others surprised and unarmed tainted life form. They didn't stay surprised for long, nor did they had time to get their weapons. Supersonic lead rounds filled the room, tearing everything in their paths and transforming the small area into something more akin to a meat grinder than a relaxing place. The thunderous roar of the heavy stubber lasted for almost a full thirty seconds, punchings holes in the walls and people indiscriminately, covering the soft plasteel wall with flesh, blood, brain, bones, and other mutants fluids. Finally, the gun ran out of bullets to hurl at the tainted cultist and went quiet.

Stepping inside the gory room and crushing the rest of a rib cage under her boot, Kali tossed the weapon aside and drew her rapier. The moment the blade left it's scabbard, the metal was infused with power. Little lightning sparks were running along the blade and heat was radiating from it, making the air whistle. Still walking, she was making her way toward the other door of the room, left of the one she had entered, before suddenly being interrupted by one of the future dead accompanying her.

"Is the worst over?"

She didn't even turned toward him. "That, soldier, was knocking at the door."

The moment she finished this phrase, seemingly just for the universe to laugh at her or at least that's how Kali saw it, a seven foot brute who had had both of his arm replaced by butcher saw burst through the door. The man at the Inquisitor right screamed and launched a volley of lasers that hit the giant in the left arm. He smiled and sneered loudly as his muscles were burned and his arm rendered half useless but shut up when a psychic lightning bolt struck him directly in the face, scorching it to the bone.

His body didn't even had time to fall to the ground that it was tossed aside by something more akin to a giant spider than the women it once was. At one point, she was probably like so many inhabitant of the Underhive, messy black hair, a pale and ill skin from the lack of sun and the numerous chemical present in the water and the air, an undernourished body, a moral crushed from the moment she was born, a survival instinct on par with the rat and a total lack of opportunities, except for two extremes ones. Between death and heresy, she had chosen corruption. Now, her hair were over a meter long, with filth entangled into it and sick fluids dripping from it. Almost her entire body was covered with thick washed-out green scales. Her belly was gigantic, over sized compared to the rest or her body, and marked with the chaos star. Though carved directly into her body with a dull razor would be a more fitting description. Her legs and arm joint were twisted, able to bend backward and in others inhuman direction while each of her fingers and toes nails had grew several centimeters long, becoming dense and sharp. Her eyes were nothing more than two dead white orb in the center of a skull like face. Lastly, her lower jaw had been split in two and pieces of glass had been inserted into the wound, giving her some sort of mandible like mouth.

After jumping on the table on the center of the piece, the mutated creature hissed at Kali who only narrowly avoided the acid spit. Which was not the case of the PDF behind her. He screamed as the liquid ate through the armor and gnawed his skin. Before the ex-woman could jump at him, Kali levitated the table the mutant stood on and slammed it against the ceiling before letting it crash down. But only the table fell down as the mutant had stuck her legs in the ceiling, maintaining herself up. Without a moment rest, the creature charged at Kali. The sliced flesh of her belly opened, letting a large scythe like dart slide from it. Immediately, the woman slashed at Kali who narrowly avoided it by dodging under the previously mentioned table. On her back, Kali drew her Carnodon and emptied the magazine, shooting through the table in the hope of hitting the soft spot of the monster. Luckily, two rounds found their marks. One broke the dart in two while the second buried itself inside the creature stomach before grinding it's inside. Shaking with pain, the woman fell on the ground, twitching and shivering. Without losing a second, Kali rolled from under the table, leaped up and pinned the spider on the ground one last time. The power running inside the blade filled the Damned body, coursing through the nerves, veins and bones, burning them. Under her scales what was left of her skin began to melt and the marrow inside her bones overheated to the point they shattered from the inside. Finally, the electric manifestation fried her brain. Making both of her eyes pop and gray liquid flow from her eyes. Obviously, she didn't stood up after that.

Kali turned toward the wounded trooper.

"You're okay soldier?"

Slowly, he lifted himself from his prone position. There was a big hole in his chestplate and the visible skin was black. "I... I think I'm alright."

Statement immediately followed by a series of quick burst that sent him backward and transformed his torso into nothing more than chunks of torn flesh.

The door the brute and the spider had smashed down leaded to a corridor a couple of meters long which itself leaded into a large room full of cultist. They were wearing ragtag armor of leathers, clothing and patched flak. Wielding stub revolvers, autopistols and autoguns, all of poor quality, they were firing like mad men. Trading accuracy for volume of fire, which was probably wise in their case, they filled the corridor and the part of the room in front of it with bullets. Dodging the hail of lead, Kali jumped against the wall, left of the door.

Following her example, one of the PDF had also crashed himself against the wall at the right of the opening. The Inquisitor could hear his teeth chattering two meters away. In a way, it remembered her of her own first firefight. If he could made it out of their alive, nothing short of an Ork charge would make him worry. If he could survive. Well, her anger towards the planet officials and values had, maybe, cloud her vision. They were after all, only recruits and had not had the dubious privilege of growing in the hardening environment of an Underhive. That were the thought flowing through her mind when the two other member of the PDF decided to make cowards and idiots of themselves.

"Frak it."

With those two words, they started running back into the sewers. Kali could have stopped them, but if they felt like blindly running through the Underhive sewers, by the Emperor she will gladly let them.

Now, it was only her and... the PDF. Maybe asking his name would be a good idea.

"So trooper, what's your name?"

"Z... Zak mam." He was shaking.

"Okay Zak, it's you and me now. Listen , I will go ahead and deal with them. You, stay here and watch the door. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good, back in a minute."

A second later, she was up and walking down the corridor. Left hand held in front of her, Kali was focusing all of her will and power in the creation of a telekinetic shield able to block the storm of bullets that was directed at her. Slightly shimmering in gold with each impacts, the shield was able to slow down most of the bullet which then had no chance to pierce her armor, or her occasionally working force shield. Not that they had had a lot before but better be cautious than dead. Slowly, she walked up against the lead waves until reaching the enemies.

Covered behind metal crates and junk, the cultists were terrifyingly looking at the black figure that was walking toward them, completely unfazed by the hundred of bullets that were seemingly hitting her. One of the shooters tried to make a run for the elevator behind them and only succeeded into getting a lightning bolt to the back. Next, two ran at her, autopistol and long knife in hands. The first one felt a burning needle pierce her right wrist, a Damaskin Kineblades, that sent a shock of energy into her body, severing the nerves of her hands and rendering it useless. Incapable of properly wielding her knife, she was unable to block Kali rapier which passed right through the girl throat. She twitched for a moment as both her mouth and lungs were filled with blood, inter alia, before sliding off the blade and crashing onto the ground. The second charging opponent was met with a kick to the chest that hit the man right into the solar plexus with enough strength to send him flying backward onto a metal case. A second later, the entire weight of a power armor crashed down on his neck, crushing it. The rest of the enemies were dispatched in less than a minute with the same level of brutality and ruthlessness.

Once the fight over, Kali was left standing in the middle of the room with six bodies, entrails under her left boot, blood over her right hand and a little exhausted by the battle, but she knew it was not the time to rest. Thus, she bent down, ripped off the relatively clean shirt of one of the dead, cleaned her sword and went back to pick up Zak.

In the small room, the odor of vomit had been added to the mix. The boy, now that she could get a good look at him she knew he was definitely a seventeen years old, had removed his helmet. Blonde, brown eyes, fair face, low end of the nobility, he was currently emptying his stomach on the corner.

"Feeling okay Zak."

He jumped a little. Quickly reaching for his helmet and putting it on before turning toward her.

"Yes mam."

"Okay. Now, we're gonna go up a lift. Can you cover me?"

"Yeah, I think I can. I mean, yes mam." He was shaking.

"Good. Follow me."

* * *

For Zak, this day had been a suite of the most terrifying moments he had ever lived. First, Lucas had been his usual dick by waking him up with a bucket of water. Then had dragged him to a room were he had continued being a dick with the girl there. She was sexy for sure. Leather coat, cute face, tall, healthy, green eyes, fire hair. But, she was also kinda weird. Not like crazy weird. More like intimidating weird. She didn't even seem to be bothered by the sergeant being an ass. Then, before anyone could understand what was happening, there was burning ashes and cinders swirling in the air. Zak could barely see through it, but what he saw terrified him. The girl coat was flapping in the burning wind that she didn't even seem to notice. Her hair were flying wildly around her head and her green eyes were filled with white hot fire. It was like looking at the very heart of a raging inferno. An inferno onto which you have no control, an inferno that is going to consume you no matter what you do. It was the only thing he could think of before being blinded by a pillar of flames on his left. When he opened his eyes again, in place of Lucas there was now a small pile of ashes.

Everything happened really quickly after that. There was lightning, shadows, strange men in robes who dressed them with weird armor and gave them strange lasgun. Then, the woman came back wearing an heavy black armor with a menacing cyber-eagle on her shoulder, there is more lightning, a long exhausting walk into the filth of the Hive and finally, death. Before that day, Zak had only seen one dead body. A young recruit who had shoot himself in the leg by accident and had died from blood loss. But now, he had seen enough for five life. This woman, she was killing with the same ease as she was breathing. One moment, the room was full of mutants and wretched cultists. The next, there was only blood, guts and flesh everywhere. It was like walking through some sort of gory nightmare with the incarnation of the Emperor wrath at your side. But Zak wasn't sure if it was necessary on his side. As he watched the cultists being butchered, he prayed to the God-Emperor to survive another day.

* * *

Kali tried to remember where she was. They had climb four floor, more or less, go down two, more or less, and were now cutting down the last cultists The last encounter had ended with one of the chaos worshiper exploding into a cloud of blood and being replaced by a Furie. She had had to empty six bullets into her face and throw a geode grenade down her throat to take her down. In this case, by making her chest explode from the inside and her inside exit by her gaping mouth . At the rhythm they were going, they would have completely annihilate the cult in no time. But, honestly, this group was not one of the biggest she had seen, far from it. In fact, it's probably one of the smallest she had ever seen. If only this planet wasn't so anti-women, she would have finished this damn investigation in a quarter of the time. Anyway, they should probably encounter the witch leading the cult really soon.

And thus, soon, they were in front of a damn heavy door, almost five centimeters thick of plasteel. And if that wasn't enough of an obstacle, still bleeding heads had been nailed to the door and wall beside it. Apart from the physical stench, there was a repulsion attached to them, the foul smell of sorcery. This Witch had done her homework, the interior of the room was veiled to Kali power, though she could still hear chanting coming from inside and sensed the Warp around her becoming more and more agitated. It was as if the room was the eye of an impending storm. They needed to breach both the heavy door and the witch ward fast and kill everyone inside.

"Zak." She switched her Carnodon for the plasma pistol.

"Yes mam."

"I'm gonna melt the door and break the other protection. The moment there is a hole in the door, I want you to kick it down and throw these inside." She gave him a micro-frag tube. "Then, you and me we gonna run inside and stab every single insult to the Emperor until there nothing but grox meat. Okay?"

"Okay."

A moment passed.

"Put your bayonet on, Zak."

"Oh, eh, yes." After ten second a painful to watch struggle, he finally managed to put his combat knife in place.

"Okay. Ready?" He nodded. It was evident he was highly anxious. With luck he wouldn't stab her by mistake in the furry haze of the fight.

Everything went very fast, maybe a quarter of a minute, like in every fight that matter because the universe don't like it when you have the time to think. Kali sent a wave of power that disturbed the shaky barrier, it could not hold against the power of a true psyker, and pressed the trigger of her pistol almost at the same instant. The beam of blinding white blue plasma hit the door, instantly vaporizing the plasteel and probably everything in a thirty meters line. A second later it had disappeared and Zak kicked open the red hot burning piece of plasteel, what was left of the door, before throwing the grenades inside. Now, if only he wouldn't have stood still in front of the explosion, the action would have been perfect. A micro-frag tube the size of a standard grenade contain around twelve micro explosive that each explode with the same strength as the standard frag. So, simply standing there, he took the equivalent of twelve fragmentation grenades in the face. The shrapnel and the explosions were mostly stopped by the advanced armor, but the shock wave hit him like a bulldozer.

She didn't had the time to worry about him as she rushed inside, if she started to she would be less focused on her own survival and that was the leading cause of death in a fight. The interior of the room she entered was full of shredded body, some by the grenades, some by the cultists. For their dark ritual, they had hang eight women by the feet in a circle, had peeled their skin off and let their life slowly flow down on the ground. Black candles must have been placed under them as she could still see melted wax were they had been. The candles, the only light, had been blew away. On the ground were the bodies of the witches that had foolishly sold there souls to the ruinous power. In the hope of improving their mortal life, they had damned themselves to an eternity of suffering at the hand of the Dark Gods. Result, they had been lacerated by the shrapnel, some to the point that their faces had been reduced to indistinguishable tatters of flesh. There was only two exceptions. A woman with half of her face teared wielding a blood tainted twisted knife and a little girl in the middle of the hanged women circle, soaked in the blood of the victims and with numerous grenade wound on her body.

"Kill her!" The face ripped woman yelled.

As soon as the world had left her mouth, the amount of power coming from the little girl passed from negligible to mind shattering. It was as if the air had been sucked out from Kali lungs. In an instant, the temperature in the room had dropped down to water freezing level, even forming a layer of frost on her armor. The energy that was being accumulated against her was enough to burn her to a crisp and so, she took a split second decision.

The plasma beam hit the little girl dead center. The matter composing her body was completely vaporized by the intense heat, the links between the atoms composing her flesh having been annihilated. She didn't emit a single sound as her entire being was erased from existence, leaving nothing behind but a scorched mark on the ground. In fact, she even seemed to smile. And this smile terrified Kali.

When the girl disintegrated, the Witch screamed.

"Nooooooooo!"

And Kali thought that it was only in cheap holo-tape that people screamed long 'no' in the middle of a fight. Anyway, the Inquisitor used the time she spent screaming to aim at her. Unfortunately, one ten of a second before Kali pressed the trigger, the woman swung one of the hanged corpse in front of the plasma shot. Another vaporization. Before she could shoot again, the Witch had cross the distance between them and was on the Inquisitor. The first knife swing skidded off Kali's armor, the second passed just over her arm and the third was blocked by Kali chainknife. The roaring weapon in her left hand, the Inquisitor blocked, feinted to the right and plunged the blade inside the Witch belly. The grinding teeth of the weapon ripped through the soft flesh, shredding her stomach and entrails and almost slicing her in two. When Kali pulled her chainknife from the woman body, her belly had been reduced to a large gaping wound with jagged edges. With her viscera flowing out, the Witch fell back on the ground, twitching and desperately trying to hold her leaking inside. The fight ended.

As her life was slowly leaving her, the dying woman gaze fell upon Kali.

"Pig." The word softly exited her mouth.

Kali lifted her helmet and, as she was doing it, she could see the look of utmost consternation on the witch face.

"Why?"

"You wanted to change the situation of women on the planet, right?"

She nodded faintly.

"It's exactly what I am going to do after."

"Then... why...?"

"Because the Chaos never bring a better world. Only anarchy and blood would have come from this."

"I only wanted to help."

"I know. They all want in the beginning"

Blood started to drip from her mouth, slowly running down her cheek. Her eyes were set on Kali, filled with regrets and water.

"I... I don't wanna die... not for them."

"Few really want."

She smiled.

"Wat... watch out... for... h... him."

With these last words, the flickering light in her eyes. Kali closed her eyes, it was the least she could do, before standing up and holstering her weapons. What had she mean by 'him'. The Planetary Governor maybe? She hadn't meet the man yet so maybe.

That was the thought that occupied her mind when she felt it. A powerful explosion of power that suddenly hit her in the back and sent Kali flying through the room. She crashed onto the low quality ceramite that composed the wall, sinking herself a couple of centimeters in. The violence of the impact left her dazed while the pressure on her body kept her stuck against the wall. It took the Inquisitor a moment to regain her senses, not helped by the fact that her face was inside a wall, that she couldn't see anything and that breathing is kinda hard when you have ceramite up your nose. But once she had what she sensed almost made her vomit.

She could feel a rapid breathing just behind her ear, a breath that smelled of rotten flesh, dry blood, disease and ashes while a blood soaked finger was playing in hair and a hand was slowly making its way up her leg.

"Pretty." The voice sent shivers down Kali spine. It was like a human voice, but without any heat. Like if something that had only observed humanity through a dark glass and was trying to imitate a human.

"Zak?"

"Ohh, I'm sorry, I think Zak is not really there anymore."

His word had the same accent Zak would have had, yet, it was so different. There was a barely contained violence, a love of pain, of torture, a sickness and more that were oozing from him and digging inside Kali mental wall.

"What are you?"

He was fondling her at this point and Kali could feel it even through her armor.

"A prison." His rasp tongue caressed her ear. It was as if a blowtorch had kissed her skin.

"A Deamonhost." How could the Witch have summon something so dangerous. Bloody stupid. "Why him?"

"Zak? What can I say. The terror, the pain, the lust. What's not to like? But really, I should thank you for my situation. You just kill my stupid bitch of master, brought me a superb vessel full of terror, pain and so much lust."

"B..."

"Shuuu." Kali felt a finger push against her lower jaw, preventing Kali from speaking. "Yes, so much lust. The fiery woman in the leathers coat. All the ideas he had about you, the beautiful thoughts, the perverted mind.."

He was whispering in her ear and is closeness alone was enough to give Kali a taste of bile in her mouth.

"Maybe I should give you a practical demonstration. What do you think?"

Kali gladly answered with a bucking that broke his nose and freed her mouth.

"Nikonov beam me up!"

Instantly, lightning surrounded her as the teleportation started. Ionized air replaced the rotting smell and the power pushing her against the wall disappeared. The last thing she heard before her body was absorbed by the strange energy of the teleportation was a calm sentence of pure malice.

"You need a holiday, somewhere far away."


	2. New world of enemies and allies

Hi, new chapter with characters slowly starting to apear. For all of those that really like benders, sorry but if they are powerful in a lot of universes, 40K is not one of those.

edboy492: Season one, around when Korra arrive at Republic City. As for the Emperor, maybe, but considering Korra is technically a possessed, I don't think the discussion would be very friendly.

DeathAdder 47117: Thanks for the help and the commentary.

_**High** **Gothic**_

**Low Gothic  
**

_Thought_

Still really open to review and I hope you have a great time reading.

* * *

**Imperial proverb** : _The Imperium! How mighty its aspect! How far-reaching its boundaries! As one world dies ten more are brought into the fold. Fear us, for we count the lives of planets, not men!_ Cardinal **Morius Blate**, Ecclesiarch Primus

Inquisitor Kali reflexion of the day : In an Imperium of a million worlds, what matters the loss of one? That depends very much on the world.

* * *

**City unknown, planet unknown, date unknown, sector unknown.**

When the energy surrounding Kali dissipated, she found herself some five meters over the ground. In a cartoon, she would have hovered in the air for a couple of seconds, just long enough for her to realize her situation. Unfortunately, here she hit the ground before even having time to take a breath of this new world air. The crash on the hard floor stunned the Inquisitor, adding to the splitting headache the trip seemed to have given her. '_Shouldn't have taken off my helmet_.' A teleportation always has side effects, usually mild headaches or passing nausea. But right now, Kali was feeling as if someone had beaten her to a pulp, then made her pass through a hole the size of a needle and, finally, had had what was left of her thrown under the mother of all jackhammers for a couple of hours. To top it all, she could feel blood dripping from her broken nose.

Dazed, she tried to discern where the teleportation had, literally, dropped her. Her cheek was apparently pressed against some sort of low quality ceramite, the cold and rugged type. The air she was breathing was, well, breathable. That's always a good thing. Each planet has its own kind of flavor, to Kali this one tastes a little like a room that had had incense burned inside an hour ago. In a week, she wouldn't even notice it. She opened her eyes, slowly taking conscience of more of her surroundings... only to find her sight blocked by a rather large bird of prey.

"**Solomon?**"

Really, what was Solomon doing here? He had been hiding for most of the assault, a CQB environment is not the best place for a flying animal, and Kali did not remembered him being near her when she was teleported. Maybe her psychic link had dragged him with her or the Daemonhost could have thrown him with her. In any case, she was glad to have him along for her trip in hell. Though she must have been seriously stunned for not having felt him outright. She psychically slapped herself and went back to finding where she was.

She had apparently landed into a surprisingly small disused Manufactorum, wait, she corrected herself, the technological level was too low for an Imperial Manufactorum. More likely, she was in an industrial level factory. Bright lights were coming down from large dirty windows, giving the lighting a sort of dawn or sunset feeling. A strange and comforting sight for Kali after a month of the eternal half-darkness of the Underhive. Feeling her senses slowly returning, she lifts herself from the ground.

And that was approximately the moment that she sensed a burst of psychic energy a couple of meters away from her, shaking her like an adrenaline shot. She leaped on to her feet, looking for the psyker with her eyes and mind. Wild thoughts were flying through her dizzy brain, had the Daemonhost, for it was obviously its doing, dropped her on top of a Chaos cult hideout? Was she facing another Daemonhost? A hidden demon? An Alpha Plus? Well, probably not an Alpha Plus because by the time she had sensed the power surge, every atom in her body would have been blasted away. But anyway, she turned towards the source of the psychic manifestation, ready for another deadly battle of the mind, only to find herself facing three Lambda level psykers surrounding a strange young girl.

Kali was destabilized by them, to say the least. First, they all had a pretty flamboyant dressing style. One was in blue toned clothing, the other in red tones and the last in green tones. All of their clothes appeared custom made, with rich details and an aura of arrogance. That made them little rich jerks but Kali could deal with that, brutally. Second, what really unnerved Kali, their aura was wrong. They were clearly psykers, even if not of a relatively high level, yet, their minds seemed completely unprotected and, even more strange, not surrounded by any Warp predators. Unfortunately, before she could reflect on the pure weirdness of the situation, one of the psykers shouted at her. It was a local dialect, some extremely debased form of low-gothic that she only understood a word or two of. But the general meaning was clear. It was a threat. She tried to stand on her feet to answer the warning, but what she pretty much only succeeded in doing was a lot of stumbling around. Apparently, this was also the same moment the six hundred men orchestra that had been hiding in the recess of her mind up until now decided to start playing at full strength the traditional Valhallan anthem. In these conditions, it's almost a miracle that she sensed the weak burst of power coming from the blue psyker.

She focused on him just in time to see the large ball of liquid coming in her direction. In her current state, commonly referred to as the 'body like pudding', she couldn't possibly avoid a blow that was already so close. She would have to trust her shield to block whatever vicious acid that had been thrown at her. Yes, it didn't work. '_Fuck you universe_'. The only thing she succeeded in doing was to raise her left arm and unleash a volley of metal slugs toward the shooter with her Assault Gauntlet a micro-second before the impact. What followed, rather than two bodies hitting the ground, was an awkward pause for both groups. From Kali because it took her a moment to formulate and accept the idea that someone had just used his power, had just used the mad and all powerful energy of the Warp, to throw a ball of clean water at her. From the group because their brains were trying to understand how the upper part of their friend's body could have suddenly been ripped apart by some invisible force, covering them with his insides. Kali recovered first, sometimes as an Inquisitor you simply face strange or downright stupid sorcerers and you just have to go along with it. Thus, having slightly recovered, she charged at them.

**"For the Emperor!"**

She freed her power, connecting with the minds of her unprotected opponents. Their weak will offered little to no resistance. Now capable of reading the psykers next actions the moment they thought about it, she had no trouble dodging the weird attack of the green one. He lifted some parts of concrete from the ground and threw them in her direction, telegraphing both actions with large movements that considerably slowed down his attack. Hell, the rocks movements even were a straight line. Kali was used to dodge swords, lasers and bullets, well, the last two are actually too fast to really dodge so it was more of a kind of preemptive side step with those ones, coupled with cover. Anyway, in short, she easily avoided the small rocks and riposted with a series of lightning bolts. This use of power gave her the impression that someone had just jabbed a metal stake through her brain but it was a price that she was well willing to pay to see a toasted witch. The bolts crossed the distance between her and the green psyker in less than a second, hitting him dead on. To Kali's surprise, he didn't even try to dodge, as if he simply expected to be able to withstand or block it. It might have been possible against a sorcerer of his power level, but Kali was a sanctioned psyker of the inquisition. Her soul had basked in the psychic light of the Emperor and she had battled against daemons and rogue psykers capable of tearing the souls of entire Hive population. Her lightning bolts melted his skin and clothes together, giving the man fourth and third degree burn that he didn't even felt because his pain nerves had been carbonized by the energy that was coursing through his body. And even if they had not been destroyed, he still couldn't have sensed any pain because his brain had been fried in the seconds following after being hit. Under such tension, both his eyes had blown up and a stream of blood had begun to flow from his nose. The next instant, he was on his back, dead. Only one left.

* * *

Katsu was in a nightmare, a nightmare more horrible than anything he could have ever imagined.

The day had started so well, a ride through the streets with their new car, picking up a few protection gifts from the street vendors of the industrial sector, the usual. Sure, one stupid girl threw a rock at their ride, but they got her pretty quickly. They had dragged her into one of the abandoned factory, just to teach her a lesson about why everyone fear the Triple Threat Triad, and where just about to start when hell literally dropped down on them. There was this big flash of a strange light, like it was touching them, sliding against their skin, and the sound of a thousand whispers in their ears as if they were just behind them, all shut up by the sound of an heavy object crashing a couple of meters from them. At first, they thought it was some kind of heavy machinery that had fallen down, probably disturbed by the big raven eagle that landed beside it, but then it started moving. The large form was some girl with weird red hair and wearing some sort of heavy looking black armor. Kind of like those of the police but way heavier. Probably some wannabe vigilante in need of a real life check.

'_Well_', Katsu thought, '_maybe there are two people who need a lesson today_'.

"Hey! You! So you think you can take on the Triple Threat.

At his right, Karalk threw a water bullet at her. After that, everything became a blur.

The water hit her but it was as if it did nothing. She didn't even flinch back. Karalk, on the other hand, exploded with a series of thunderous explosions. The girl had barely moved her arm, not even half of a bending move, she simply had raised her arm and his friend had been wiped away by what Katsu could only assume was thunder. He was frozen, incapable of moving or even thinking, a common reaction for a gangbanger covered by the insides of his friend's brain. At his left, Rocky reacted by throwing a couple of rock at her, but she simply dodged and unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts. What the hell was she? These days, a powerful firebender can generate a fairly powerful lightning bolt pretty quickly, even he could do it, but she had simply flicked her wrist and four bolts had hit Rocky. Now, he was on the ground, blood flowing from his nose and with both of his eyes having been turned into gory holes. Now with the blood of another friend staining his shirt, he shook himself out of his state and focused his rage against the bitch that was assaulting them. Who was she to attack them like that? How could she so easily kill them, they were the members of the most fearsome triad of the city. He would show her directly to the grave. With this in mind, he readied himself to attack, taking position. Only to be almost immediately interrupted by razor sharp claws lacerating his face.

* * *

Solomon sliced the visage of the psyker menacing his master, deeply cutting the fragile flesh and nerves. Obviously, Katsu began screaming has he felt his teeth being torn away by the bird talons and a sharp beak literally scratching against his skull. He did so for around a second and a half while desperately flapping his arms in an attempt to get rid of the eagle before having the air chased from his lungs by a strange whirring object and his ears assaulted by a war cry.

"**Die Witch!**"

The chainknife buried itself inside his left lung, breaking two ribs in the process, and tore it apart. Following the knife's momentum, Kali pushed it across his chest until it reached the other lung, shredding everything in the way before pulling out the weapon and letting go of the, soon to be, dead psyker. Like a broken puppet he fell on the ground, drowning on his own blood and incapable of even thinking. Probably because of a lack of oxygen, after all you need lungs for that, and blood to the brain, for that you need a heart, combined with an open chest wound letting his blood flow like a river. But Kali had already forgotten him, her attention being focused on a more pressing matter.

The Inquisitor's mind was furiously scanning the factory, looking under every bolt and behind every door, searching for the master of the three Lambda. It was obvious now that those three were not the real surprise of the Daemonhost, merely a bait to distract her while the real threat was slowly surrounding her. She strengthened her mind, waiting for the imminent attack. What would that be? An Inferno charge under her feet or maybe simpler explosives making the building crash on her? A wall of bullets from several autocanons that would shred her to pieces or a swarm of a hundred men that would bury her under their corpses. No, too fast, too simple. Maybe a more psychical kind of attack like a kinetic storm or a mental assault that would crush her spirit and tear her soul. A discreet soporific gaze followed by weeks of torture. With this in mind, she waited, expecting the worst. One second, two seconds, three seconds, five seconds... nothing.

"**Well that's just disappointing.**"

She looked around her, looking for an explanation to this frustrating situation, only for her eyes to fall on the young girl curled up against a pillar. Yes, what was the girl part in this? A simple innocent dragged into the situation or a hidden manipulator? In the life of an Inquisitor, innocents are rarer than a friendly Bloodthirsters. Kali walked up to her, towering over the curled girl in her black armor. The girl was terrified, and rightly so. Her clothes were obviously of poor quality but well kept, though at the moment they were stained by the insides of the scum, and she bore the physical signs of poverty, lack of food and sleep. But her face lacked the typical marks of that kind of life, past diseases, the chemicals in the water, gang violence and other such common occurrence. Strange, maybe she wasn't on an Industrial world but on the capital of an Agri world. Well, best way to know was to ask.

"**I am Inquisitor Kali of the Ordo Hereticus. What is your name citizen?**"

And the girl fainted.

"**Great.**"

The day was becoming stranger with each minute's passing. This by Kali's standards was quite a feat. First, she almost literally fell onto three psykers, the fact that their power level would only have made them sufficient sacrifice to fuel the Astronimicon, that their mind were as defenseless as a newborn and that they were strangely devoid of any corrupt symbols helped a lot to the strangeness of the situation. Second, the young girl, well really she probably was more a middle-late teenager but Kali didn't really care about it. She had found ten year olds with bigger kill counts than some Guard veterans, eight years olds acting as hitmen and three years old Catachans who hunted predators ten times bigger than them. In short, age in the Imperium doesn't really matter because in the end, everyone can kill and everyone can die, both as easily, no matter the age. Anyway, back to the subject. The unconscious teen lying at Kali's feet seemed unarmed, physically and mentally, as far as Kali's psychic and medical skill could tell at least. Knowing that, Kali was quite puzzled as to why exactly she had lost consciousness. Maybe a lack of sleep.

In any case, while waiting for her to wake up Kali put back her helmet on, no point in making it more easy for possible assassins, and continued to observe where she was. The physical location, she had pretty much looked at every square inch of it. The Warp surrounding her, on the other hand, was a complete mystery.

She hadn't sensed it during her battle with the psykers, on the count of her mind having been preoccupied by some more urgent matters. But now that the adrenaline had stopped flooding her system, she could feel a subtle pressure against her mind. It wasn't aggressive or even remotely hostile, for now, simply there. The closest thing to it in Kali's mind would be a daemon Ward, but on a much greater scale. Like as if someone had put a barrier against daemons on the whole planet. Whatever group or whoever had done this, Kali wouldn't want to meet. Not without an Imperial battlecruiser as backup anyway. Another mystery would be the strangely calm Warp around her, not completely calm of course, but it was like suddenly finding yourself sailing on a calm lake after having spent all your life in the middle of the most violent, fickle and treacherous hurricane. For Kali, it was oddly relaxing. Yet, she did not dare to lower her defenses against Chaos, all of this could have been a masterful illusion by the Daemonhost or some other hellish creature. Still mentally traveling along the edge of the weirdly peaceful but still maddening Warp, didn't think these two words have ever been used in the same sentence, she discovered the cause of said peacefulness. The system was surrounded by a massive Warp storm that had effectively sealed the whole system, isolating the planet. It was like being in the eye of a hurricane or an oasis in the middle of an infinite desert. Thus, somewhat ensuring that only the local sentient life form would influence the Warp at the center of the storm.

* * *

Frankly, Kali was massively speculating about the whole situation. She was an Inquisitor, not a scholar. What she was sure about on the other hand was that she was completely cut-off from the Imperium until the storm dissipates and since those things usually last many millennia, she was pretty much screwed.

* * *

Now with a better comprehension of the mess she was in and a good idea of what the Daemonhost had meant by a far far away holiday, Kali felt a point of sadness being planet-bound in the Imperium is one thing, being planet-bound outside the Imperium is another one. Quickly though, Kali snuffed the feeling out, Inquisitors are many things but not desperate. 'Well, I'm still alive and that's better than many.' Her situation might be hopeless, lost on a primitive planet, but the sacred mission of the Inquisition did not bother with such small details. Thus, she was now in a long term infiltration mission that started with collecting as much information as she could. Having killed all the natives present in the room save one, she turned her attention towards the teen.

The girl was still slumped against a metal pillar, unconscious. It was probably for the better since the method Kali planned to use could be a little disturbing for the one getting the infos extracted from him/her. Carefully, she approached the crouched form, began to lightly probe her defenseless mind and... she started screaming again. Really, it was quickly becoming obnoxious. For a second, she wondered if the girl simply had some kind of mental problem or if this was some sort of local greeting. She voted for the former because she wouldn't be able to withstand many more of it, no matter how much her helmet could muffle it. Then, if that wasn't enough, she vomited. Kali shook her head in despair, her eyes meeting with those of Solomon. He was as confused and annoyed as she was.

Patiently, Kali waited for the girl to calm herself, only for it to degenerate into sobbing and pleading. Like the two other, she used a form of low-gothic that was completely foreign to Kali and so she was unable to even try to calm her. The Inquisitor could have waited, try to use psychology or any number of tricks that she had picked through the decades. So, obviously she chose the most direct one. Her armored hands clasped tightly around the teen's head, making the girl scream even louder as her mind was invaded. The girl could feel burning needles digging through her skull and inside her brain. She fought as hard as she could, substituting skill for sheer instinct and desperation in her attempt to stop those knives from tearing her mind. For Kali though, these efforts were as annoying as a fly hovering around her head. After what seemed an eternity for the teen and around half a minute for the Inquisitor, the former gave up, passing out one more time under the pain. 'Finally.' Kali was glad she had, she never wanted to bring any more pain than necessary to the girl after all. The Inquisitor's mind merged with that of the girl's, sweeping through it at the speed of thought. Her entire life unraveled in front of Kali, each moment she ever lived, each emotion that she ever felt, her life goals, all she ever knew, her most secret desires, all of it was known to Kali. She absorbed it in a matter of seconds, letting all the knowledge spill inside her own mind in one massive wave.

* * *

About the recuperation of information from the mind of another. One of the drawbacks, except the risk of corruption by touching the mind of a powerful damned, the vulnerability to another telepath, the fact that you mostly only remember the things you heavily focused on after the mind meld ended and other such problems, was that if she could choose the infos she was getting, Kali couldn't choose the flowing rate. Consequently, when the truth of this world hit her, she fell on her knee, breaking the mental probing by the same occasion.

The psyker population of this world was off the chart. Granted, most of them were strangely limited in their range of power and their strength, but some rare individual could have been ranked Epsilon. This number of psykers was ten levels over weird, the fact that this world hadn't already been ripped apart by daemons, that was the real fucking mystery there. The only reason that Kali could see for the fact that not every person with even the smallest amount of psychic power on this planet had imploded to give passage to a demon was because of the combined action of the giant ward and the Warp storm. Meaning that if someday they were to both fail, this world would become a Daemon World in less time it would take Kali to snap her fingers. It was pretty funny, really, if you're insane enough that is. Which mean that Kali was rolling on the ground and laughing like a Hatter. The Daemonhost hadn't sent her away on a peaceful planet, he had sent her to a world on the brink of being dragged half inside the Warp. Away from the Imperium, on a planet completely oblivious to the dangers, hell, even the very existence of the Warp, she was condemned to see it being destroyed. Another lose for Humanity that she was doomed to watch, powerless.

'Well' She though. 'Not without a fight you demon asshole'. Once her laughing over, she stood up on her feet, lightly gasping for air and determined to stop whatever plan the Archenemy surely had. And to do that, she needed a couple of things. Money, troops, technology, and most importantly, willpower.

* * *

Making her way to a motel had been a little tricky but surprisingly not really hard considering she was still wearing her Sororitas armor with Solomon on her shoulder and transporting an unconscious blood soaked girl. A little illusion had taken care of most of the interest she could have attracted, shrinking her figure and concealing her armor to those looking in her direction. Kali had feared the unconscious girl with her would have been a problem even with the help of her powers but the biggest reaction she got was a raised eyebrow. Either this was an everyday occurrence or the citizens had a major lack of vigilance. Traveling by taxi, this city's private transportation vehicle, she reached one of the many motels of the Downtown area.

On her way there, she had the occasion to observe the city's organization in great detail. The local Arbitres, Metalbenders if she remembered right, were patrolling the sky on an airship and reacting to even on the ground by using some sort of grappling hook to get down and chase the scums on the streets, a really efficient method on the open. So, all the real criminals probably do all their dirty work under the streets, in the sewers, where long metal cords are at the same time useless to move and easy to dodge by simply jumping in a parallel tunnel. If the Arbitres were present or not inside the sewers would reveal a lot about the security of the city. She also had a lot of time to observe the architecture of the buildings and the city in general. Compared to the Imperial design, it was quite dull and kinda small. There was some engraving here and there on the buildings, a roof style and other small details like that. No crowd of gargoyles grimacing over her, no massive Imperial Eagle, only one statue that she only briefly saw outside the city, to Kali, it lacked a certain grandeur that was omnipresent in the Imperium. Though, the large streets did let pass sunlight and Kali enjoyed every moment of it, letting her face bask in it during the entire trip.

Once at the motel, the Monsoon, she rented the biggest suite, using most of what was left of the money she had looted from the scums bodies. From the price she had seen, she still had enough to last around a week. After that, she would either have to find more or use some psychic persuasion to get around. In the meantime, she had other things to care about. First, she put the girl to bed. Second, she got out of her armor. Inspecting it with utmost care for any trace of stain or damage as she cleaned it. Third, she did the same for her weapons, only adding the counting of how many munitions she had left. Fourth, she put a ward on the chamber. It was a flimsy thing that wouldn't resist to any real attack, psychic or physical, but really, how could she work effectively with wood protections. How did these people slept without at least a small two inch thick armored door. Wooden walls that you can punch through with only a chair leg and strength are simply as useless as anything else other than decoration in Kali's mind. In any case, fifth, she turned toward Solomon,

"**Solomon, guard the girl and the room. Stay out if their too numerous.**"

She left the room, locked the door and headed for the motel baths.

This was actually one of the reasons why she had picked this place. Kali had always enjoyed a warm bath, especially the giant kind. Unfortunately, they are usually found in 'Gentlemen Establishments' of high standing, whatever high standing that kind of place can simulate. Meaning that she could only enjoy the giant version of a warm bath during some rare infiltration missions and never without having someone bothering her. This one would be a new experience for her and she was quite eager to experiment it.

She arrived in the changing area wearing her undersuit, already feeling the heat and humidity through the white tissue door that led to the bath strictly speaking. Quickly, she undressed, slipping out from the tight clothing, seized a towel and rushed inside. The entire environment had been disguised to look like a natural hot spring, with a green grass floor, several groves of brightly colored and fragrant flowers dispersed around as if they had naturally grew, a real tree in the middle of the bath and even paintings on the walls and ceiling giving the illusion of the entire thing being in a sort of hidden valley. It was really a change from the usual mix marble statues of seductive women, Imperial symbols and gothic engraving. Quickly, she slipped inside the warm water, letting her sore muscles relax under the influence of the heat. She could feel her body slowly melting down, loosening up and slowing down. She relished every ten seconds of it.

It was all the time she could allow herself, letting her guard down longer would be tantamount to suicide. Even in a relatively safe place like this bath. Hell, she had heard the tale of Inquisitor Rolaz who had been drowned by cultists in a bath house kinda like this one. But hey, who goes taking a bath in a brothel while knowing there's a Slaneesh cult in the city. If Kali was gonna be killed, she would do her best for not to be by drowning in a bath. In any case, she heard the woman approaching her from behind the moment she entered the room. Psychically, she brushed against her mind, checking for any aggressive intentions toward her and, finding nothing, withdrew back her power.

* * *

Asami was a little surprised to find someone else at the Monsoon, especially at this time of the day and this day. Well, one time with company wouldn't kill her The other girl was submerged up to the neck in the hot water and partially concealed by steam but even then she could swear that her hair were red. Quietly, she approached her, trying to understand how someone could have red hair. The woman hadn't even noticed her when she stopped right behind her, all this time with martial art teachers had at least helped make her footing light.

"Excuse me."

Strange, she didn't flinch.

"Yes?"

"Hi, Umm, I'm sorry but is your hair red?"

"Yes. Why? Is it a problem?"

What kind of question was that? But again, who was she to judje.

"No. It's just the first time I've seen someone with red hair. I didn't even know it was possible."

"Well it's my first time here so I guess it make us equal on the first time count."

The heir of Future Industries discarded her towel and slipped into the water.

"I'm Asami Sato by the way."

"Kali. And by your reaction I assume you are someone of importance here that I am supposed to know about."

"Hum, yes, in a way."

"Well, as I said, I am new here. Maybe you can tell me who you are."

"Yeah."

The next half hour passed like a flash as Asami told the story of her father and his company, spicing it with a couple of personal anecdotes. After that, she continued on whit her own story, details about the city, some gossip about the other wealthy of the city and other such things like that. The girl, Kali, was a good listener, only interrupting her with surprisingly sharp questions, laughing at all the funny bits, yet, Asami had the weird felling she wasn't genuinely entertained, simply absorbing the information she was giving her and faking the appropriate response. Bah, that's stupid, why would she do that. She shrugged and pushed back the feeling, refocusing on the red hair.

"You know, you should totally come see the next pro-bending match with me."

"Right, but I don't know when and how."

"No problem. Just give your chamber number and I will send you a ticket the next time I'm free for a match."

"Great. My sister's with me, can you get her a ticket too?"

"Sure."

There, someone who cares about her sister doesn't fake something like a simple pleasant conversation.

With that said, she got out from the bath, wrapped a white towel around her and suppressed a little shiver caused by the small temperature difference between the water and the air.

"Ready for more."

Kali raised an eyebrow.

"More?"

"The Monsoon offers a massage service with the best masseur of the four nations."

"Oh, so that's why you come here."

"Yep. You coming?"

What she saw next, Asami wasn't expecting at all outside of badly written sci-fi novels. Kali got out from the bath, finally allowing Asami to get a good look at her. Of course, her hair was in a shade of red, but she already knew that. No, the real shock was her right arm. At first, she thought Kali was wearing some kind of armor, which was kinda strange considering they were taking a bath. But a second later, she pushed this idea aside. How it moved, its size, the way it connected with her shoulder, this girl had an authentic metal arm and it was as terrifying as it was awesome. The idea of a working metal prosthetic arm is already unsettling but this one had been made even more creepy by adding a thin gold plate on the forearm, arm and back of the hand, each bearing etchings of some sort of grand battle involving a lot of soldiers, giants in armor and eldritch abominations that she had difficulty looking at for more than a second without feeling sick. Diverting her sight away from the engraving, it fell on her body. Kali beared a number of scars rivaling, no, surpassing one or most of the veterans of the Hundred year war. Over them, she could see tattoos taking the form of a complex motif of twisted letters and skulls that seemed to move and change ever so slightly even as she was watching them. It was horrific and marvelous at the same time.

Kali sustained the silent but intense inspection of her body. For a second, she wondered if it was because of her scars and electoo, even she herself found them interesting after more than six decades, or some carnal kind of attraction. You really, really never knew with human biology. It wouldn't be the first time. Before realizing that she was rather focused on her right arm. '_Dammit_' This world had been isolated from the Imperium of Man for eons, far away from the techno-miracles of the Omnissiah. Their industrial level of technology probably had not even come close to the one needed for bionics. This was probably good for them because attaining this level without the knowledge of the proper prayers and rites was one of the surest ways to attract techno-daemons and, well, pretty much doom your world. You unknowingly write the name of a daemon into a circuit board and bam, the next thing you know there's a Lord of Change dancing in front of you. Anyway, back to the situation. She had been careless and, even more problematic, careless in front of someone she couldn't easily get rid of. The young noble had a powerful father that would probably not take quietly to seeing his unique daughter mysteriously disappear. On the other hand the girl, Asami, had a lot of connections and resources that could be very useful. Maybe she could use Asami's obvious fascination for her bionic to her advantage.

"You okay?" She used an innocent tone while waiving her artificial hand in front of Asami's face.

Asami staggered, suddenly brought back from her shocked state to reality.

"How did you get that?"

"That what?"

"Your arm!"

Kali lifted her left arm.

"I was born with it."

"Not that one, the metal one!"

Asami was visibly more and more frustrated to Kali's delight, though she made a point of not showing it too much.

"The metal one?"

Asami grabbed her plasteel wrist, shaking it.

"That one!"

"Oh. That one."

"Yes!"

Kali smiled.

"Got it from an old friend."

Asami was now seriously considering smashing Kali's head against the bath marble edge until she'd start answering her questions, the fact that her opponent was a couple of centimeters higher than her and apparently more experienced and stronger than her, buried her growing anger. Kali could see it and even though she was very tempted to let her try, she had had enough fun for now. She raised her hands in a gesture of peace.

"Ok, ok. Calm down."

"Are you gonna answer my question?"

"Yes and no."

Kali saw the very definition of wrath erupt in Asami's eyes.

"I can answer some but not all and no amount of torture or bribing will make me change that."

"Why?"

"Because, first, it's an advantage I don't want to lose and, second, it is quite literally a matter of life or damnation."

'What kind of formulation is that' thought Asami.

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "So, who built that?"

"I'll tell you under the professional hands of those famous masseurs you promised me."

Asami pondered for a second.

"Won't they notice your arm too?"

"I bet you whatever you want that they won't." Kali extended her hand

"Your loss." Asami shook it.

Of course, the simple psychic mental trick Kali put on her arm worked perfectly and the two masseurs that were working on them never noticed her bionic arm, much to Asami's incomprehension.

"How did...?"

"Shhhhh... enjoy the moment." '_A favour to cash in later_'

The workers were extremely talented, though the one massaging Kali did comment on how her right arm was tense. In fact she could sense any reaction or even the chi current of her arm. But, like the other employee she shut up, shut up the world and worked in silence, she was paid to give a massage, not a medical diagnosis.

Thus, the two of them never paid attention to Asami and Kali's conversation.

"So, now that we are being massaged, will you answer my questions?"

"Magos Nikonov. Explorator and captain of the **_Unstoppable Reclamation_**."

"Who and what?"

"I can't answer that."

"Seriously?"

"You have two names and two ranks, that's a lot don't you think?"

"Except one of those name is in a language I don't even know."

"Maybe one day I will teach you the sacred language of Humanity."

'What did she mean?' though Asami 'Sacred language of Humanity?' Whatever, even if she was insane she had a metal arm and Asami wanted to know every detail of it.

"So what is it made of?"

"Plasteel."

"What's that?"

"An alloy used in numerous applications."

"Any chance I can get more details?"

"Maybe, but it would take a long time, more than this massage will last."

"Okay, are you a metalbender?"

Kali considered the question for a moment. Apparently 'Bender' was the term used on this world to designate the limited psykers like those she had fought in the factory and saw on the streets. In a way, she was of course. But Asami was probably asking if one needed to be a bender to use her bionic.

"No. You don't need to be one or any kind of bender in fact"

"Wow. Is it easy to produce?"

"Yes and no. The kind I have takes time, materials and skill. Basic ones, simple materials and some time depending on the skill of the person making it. Crude ones, couple of hours, scraps, basic knowledge and a desperate enough receiver."

"Can yo..."

Kali knew what Asami was gonna ask her before she even knew it.

"No. I can't teach you how to do it unless you have a decade or two to spare."

"That long?"

Kali smiled faintly.

"Not exactly, but unless you don't care about being unable to maintain, repair or simply understand how it work, yes, it would take that long."

"Ok, ok. Any chance you have other technological marvels with you?"

Kali wondered for a second how Asami would react knowing that both of her eyes were artificial. It would be pretty funny, that she knew, but some things are better kept for yourself.

"Maybe I'll tell you someday."

"Someday?"

The massage was over at this point and they were both back in the changing room.

"Well, I have shown you my bionic..."

"Bionic?"

"My arm, but you haven't given me back a lot yet."

"I told you a lot."

"All of it I could have learned about in an Archive."

'_Archive, why an Archive?_'

"So what?"

Kali passed on her undersuit.

"I need to do a little shopping."

* * *

When Kali finally returned to the motel room, she was a dozen bags heavier. With Asami's own car, or Satomobile, they had raided more than twenty stores, coming back with maybe twelve bags of clothes and allowing Kali to trade her tight suit for a pair of black boots, dark pants, a black t-shirt, a blood red jacket, biker gloves, a red sash and, of course, her flak coat and digi-ring. The trip had taken them all over the city and during all of it, Asami had politely pressed her for more details about her bionic, which Kali had countered with question about the city's economical system, including the major companies, the main economic actors, the city legal system, etc. As well as some unrelated ones about the poverty in the city and the numerous refugees. In her mind, a plan had started to form.

She dropped the bags in a corner before rushing to her weapons safely guarded by Solomon. Even if this place was a paradise world by imperial crime standard, while traversing through the city without them she had felt kinda naked. Quickly, after having pet her psy-eagle, she put the Carnodon holster and her force sword scabbard on her left, slid the chain knife on her boots and concealed her Damaskin Kineblades inside her coat, immediately feeling safer. Then, she turned toward the bed and the sleeping form under the sheets. If Asami was her contact for the high and mighty of the city, this girl was her link to the underworld and the forgotten under the streets. And if she knew something about living in an Underhive or the local equivalent it was the hunger. She grabbed the inter motel com system.

"Hi, how can I help you?" The voice was calm and professional.

"I need a breakfast, room 502."

"Sorry madam but it's almost supper time and..."

"So?" Kali's voice cut him, slicing like a cold blade through his sentence.

"W... well madam, we don't usually cook breakfast after ten."

"Is your cook physically or mentally incapable of cooking breakfast after ten?"

"Uhmm, no."

"Good. Then I expect a breakfast delivered to my room in the shortest time." With that she hung up.

'_Real lack of discipline and respect around here_'.

Now with that out of the way, she approached the girl.

* * *

Lilith was relaxed, floating peacefully on a cotton cloud. She just had the worst nightmare of her life and like every nightmare she was just now realizing it had been one. Monsters don't fall from the sky and don't eat your brain only by looking at you. Yeah, maybe she could use it as a horror story for the others, the black monster with the head on fire that turn your brain onto goo by looking you in the eyes. Ooo, scary. Lilith opened her eyes, revealing green eyes, face framed with red and some large black creature on the shoulder. Inside her brain, time stopped for a second as connections were suddenly formed before speeding up by 200%.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Inside her, something reacted to the accumulation of fear, coursing through the newly formed connections and giving the impression of having her head split in two before manifesting in the world. The sudden shock wave took Kali by surprise, she only managed to slightly deviate it to her side where it transformed a richly decorated cabinet into toothpicks. From her shoulder, Solomon took off and landed at the foot of the bed, eyeing Lilith.

"Shut up" Kali's voice toned with power, storming Lilith's brain and forcing her to obey. "Damn, you scream more than an Emperor forsaken heretic." She looked into the teen's black eyes.

"Now, here are the rules, no screaming, no running, no kicking, no fainting and no panicking. Okay?"

Lilith frantically tried to move or say something, scream, cry or anything. All she failed to do, her mind wasn't her anymore. She understood it thank to some kind of new instinct and it made her more scared than all of the Triads put together. Frozen, she fixed the woman.

"Just think your answer. But I heard that one. Now, I am not going to hurt you unless you give me a reason for it and using a freaking force bolt against me will be one. Understood?"

'Yes'

Knocking on the door resonated inside the room.

"Good." Kali walked up to the door, opening it to find herself facing a young man wearing the motel uniform and pushing a little cart covered with what passed for a breakfast. Without a though she gave the man a tip and rolled the cart inside the room. From there, she dragged it to Lilith and put it on her lap.

"Eat. Then we'll talk." She retracted her power, freeing the girl and leaving her to enjoy her meal. She hadn't even left the bed that Lilith was devouring it like it was her last meal. Kali knew the feeling.

While she was enjoying herself, Kali began to unpack some of the things she had bought on her little trip and that were not clothes. A portable furnace, couple of drills, blocks of metals, plates of lead and other tools. Apparently, for the regular people of this place, all these instruments were innocents though a strange combination of things to buy, as Asami remarked. To Kali or anyone familiar with ammunition in general for that matter, these were the base tools of anyone making their own munitions. She had to modify all of them to various degrees to make them conform to both her needs and the Omnissiah's ones, but it worked in the end. Since the next part involved the melting of the lead bars and would take a couple of hours, she turned back toward the girl while the heat was doing its job, only to find Lilith and Solomon engaged into a fierce battle for a strip of bacon.

"The Emperor better protect them because if not." She muttered while walking up to the two little warriors.

The girl was holding the bacon strip with her two hands, pulling in her direction while Solomon had his beak stuck into the other side of the strip and pulling in his direction. Now, what was the responsible reaction? Asking both of them to calm down and let go of the bacon, too weak. Chop both of their heads off, too extreme. Plus, she liked Solomon. Pulling the strip from both of their grip and eat in front of them, then ask the two pre-schola she was obviously dealing with what in hell were they doing, perfect.

"What the hell are you doing!?"

They both turned towards Kali, anger in their eyes.

"He tried to steal my food!"

Solomon said approximately the same things in a mix of animal cries and psychic feeling.

"Girl, what's your name?"

"Lilith."

"Lilith, Solomon could have ripped your throat out so don't provoke him. Fear replaced wrath in her eyes while Solomon had something like a prideful smile.

"Solomon, stealing food from a guest is shameful, for you and me." He lowered his head.

"Now, if you two want more food, just ask for it. We are not in a survival situation damnit." She sighed. "But, since you have the time to fight, I suppose you have finished eating."

Before they even had the time to protest, Kali had grabbed the food tray and went to put it back on the cart before coming back to the two disappointed warriors.

"Now that the situation is fixed, Solomon, go outside and make a reconnaissance flight of the city then come back." She opened the window and let him fly out.

"You." She dragged a chair to the bed and sat on it. "Lilith, we have to talk."

* * *

It was on Kali's mind since she had invaded the girl mind. The psykers, well 'bender', of this world had a sort of warp signature that was different from the normal psykers. In ways that were making Kali pretty worried but she had to do more research before going Inquisition on their ass. But Lilith's aura was one of power, one of a latent psyker. At first, she had doubted it, seriously, what were the chances for her to fall ten meters away from a latent psyker. But by thinking about it a little more, it made some kind of twisted sense. Even an untrained psyker is a beacon of energy in the Warp and a hundred times more bright than any bender and whatever the Daemonhost had done to her it might/may/maybe had used her aura the same way a Valkyrie uses the lights of a landing platform. The real question though was what she was going to do with her. Normally, she would immediately put her in an anti-psyker cage and call the nearest Black Ship for transport to Terra. But, considering that she was currently isolated from the Imperium and that no Imperial ship could reach her, that was out of the way. The next reasonable option, drawing her gun and blowing her brains out. Again, it was what she would have done in any other situation were a latent psyker could be a potential danger, apart from being a latent psyker that is. But here, even if she was still an armed nuclear bomb, she was no yet a menace. If she could endure the training and learn to use her powers against the enemies of Humanity, Lilith could become a valuable ally. And in the event of the Warp storm calming down to the point of allowing ships to pass, she would have no problem surviving the Black Ship. Also, it's not really like she had any choice, it was either that or death.

"Lilith, my name is Inquisitor Kali from the Ordo Xenos."

"That's a long name." Her head was down.

"You can call me Kali and I would rather see the eyes of those I talk with.

Lilith reluctantly raise her head, meeting the intense glare of the Inquisitor.

"What was happening in that factory?"

"Life."

The Inquisitor chuckled. "Good answer, but more specifically then, who were they? How did you provoke them? Why were you there? Etc. etc."

"They were Triple Threat."

Kali raised an eyebrow.

"You know, triad, tough bad guy."

Still no reaction.

"How long have you been in town?"

"Less than twenty-four hours. Tough, they didn't look really tough with their inside scattered around."

In Lilith's mind, images of the triad members being shredded on the spot resurfaced. Feeling sick, she looked down. Real bad luck that her sight fell right on the last spot of brain matter left on her shirt. The grand meal she had just eaten was suddenly transferred inside the bin Kali had slid in front of her.

"You are really strange around here."

Lilith raised her head from the bin for a second.

"What?"

"You vomit because of a little brain part. Seriously?"

"You're the weirdo. You killed them... I don't know how but you killed them and you don't even look like you care."

"For what? Three guys? They attacked first and gang members from where I come skin you alive before hanging you by your own entrails if you just as much sneeze around them."

"It's sick."

"No, it's survival"

Lilith didn't answer, mostly because she was throwing up inside the bin but also because Kali's tone did not invite an answer. Once she had finished and recovered from this little incident, the Inquisitor continued.

"So, what did you do to piss them off?"

"A rock hit their car."

"Okay, a rock. Care to elaborate."

She looked away.

"Someone hidden behind me threw a rock at the car and that made them mad."

"Someone hidden behind you?"

"Yes."

"You're a very bad liar; you need to work on that."

She rose up.

"I am not a liar!"

"That's a lie and not a good way to make me trust you. There was no one behind you, but, I am willing to believe you when you say you didn't physically threw that rock."

"I'm not an earthbender."

"No, trust me, you are not that low."

Lilith was completely baffled by this woman, the Inquisitor what's her name. Well, maybe it would be more accurate to say that she was terrified, more than she had ever been, she regarded death and extreme violence as casual event, had sustained the attack of a powerful waterbender without even flinching, wield strange weapons even inside and now she was talking about her being stronger than a bender. Obviously she couldn't be an Equalist because she was a powerful bender but if she was as crazy as them, things were bad.

"So, you say..."

"That you threw this rock with power way beyond those of benders."

"Okay... and ?

"A pskyker."

"A what?"

"A Psyker. Someone capable of manipulating the energy of the Warp. You are also a time bomb that could transform half of this world into a crater."

"Yeah." The absurdity of the situation giving her snap. "You're starting a cult?"

"_I suppose that you won't believe me without proof right._"

Her lips hadn't moved, but Lilith had heard her anyway.

"How did you..."

"_Telepathy._"

"Really?"

"_Yes._"

Lilith staid silent for a moment. Even if she was lying or faking it, it was a incredible and if it was real it was even more amazing. Though, why would she train her. Few things are free and telepathy certainly ain't one.

"Why?"

"Because it's a rare talent and that if you manage to control it will help Humanity in it's struggles."

"And if I don't want to?"

"I will kill you."

It was said so directly and flatly that there was no doubt in Lilith's mind that the Inquisitor was completely serious.

"And what's the price?"

"A part of your mind, your tranquility, most of your dreams, an amount of sanity that will vary and probably your life."

Lilith took a moment to think.

"Is it worth it?"

Kali made a Cheshire smile.

"More than you can ever imagine."

There was a pause as the words sank in Lilith mind before Kali started again.

"So, if you survive the training, you will be capable of feats defying imagination. If you fail, well, you die. Simple isn't it?"

"Yeah." She lowered her head.

"Don't be so depressed. I won't ask you to battle daemons, not at first at least."

Lilith smirked. "Daemon?" Kali did not.

"Do not laugh. Daemons from the Warp are bringers of madness and chaos. An instant of weakness and they will bring death and destruction to this entire world."

Evidently, convincing her without any proof or the backing of the Imperial Creed, she would have to do something about that, of the threat that daemons poses would be difficult with only words. This is why Kali simply sent the image of a Bloodletter into her mind. The effects were exactly as Kali expected them. Lilith was silent for an instant, her iris rapidly growing as her brain was decrypting the image, before starting to scream. It was bestial, a cry of primal fear that lasted a good minute. Then, she rested completely still before breaking down into violent tremors on the bed. Driven by instinct, she wrapped herself in the blanket, shivering and crying for almost half an hour until she had no more tears to shed and was too tired to move. She ended up in Kali's arm, still occasionally trembling moaning after many hours.

"Tha... that was a demon?"

"Yes. A minor one."

"It... it's... I can't describe how... how..."

"I understand."

"I will have to fight it?"

"Legions of it."

She began to quiver.

"I don't wanna."

"Nobody but the insane and the mad wants to. But someone needs to do it and you are already well engaged on that way."

"How?"

"I've seen veteran soldier slit their own throat at the sight of a daemon, generals piss their pants and the mightiest throw themselves from towers. I also saw a PDF charge a Bloodthirster with a rusty pipe, a woman rip the head of a Deamonette and let's not forget Ollanius Pius.

"Who?"

"Humanity's courage incarnate. Anyway, you are talking half an hour after having seen your first true daemon, that's a really good sign."

"Really?"

"Really, first challenge of your training and you passed it. Ready for the next?"

She began to tremble even more, truly a promising apprentice.


	3. Setting up the first bases

Hi. Now, this chapter is a little more longer to compensate for the shortness of the previous one. Update should also slow down due to school.

edboy4926: Kali is hovering between Delta and Gamma depending on various factors. Usually though she is a Delta. As for the Healing technique. The Emperor is definitely out as Water Healing is mostly only useful to heal physical damages and the wound of the Emperor are mostly psychic in nature. If Water Healing cannot restore lost bending, I doubt it can heal a psychic wound caused by the powers of the four Gods of Chaos. Roboute, on the other hand, if you can bypass the stasis field, sure. He only had had is throat slashed after all, much more mundane compare to the God-Emperor. Finally, the relation between Korra and Kali might be a little hard, one is a teenager who wants harmony, the other is a veteran Inquisitor wants the extermination of all of Humanity's enemies.

Or not, who knows.

DeathAdder47117: Thanks for the help in the correction of the text.

_**High** **Gothic**_

**Low Gothic  
**

_Thought_

Still really open to review and I hope you have a great time reading.

* * *

**Thought for the Day** : An open mind is like a fortress with its gates unbarred and unguarded.

Inquisitor Kali reflection : An the one of an unantrained psyker is like a Warlord Titan in perfect condition standing in the middle of a desert. If you don't get to it first, you can be damn sure you and everything on the planet is dead.

**Planet: Unknown / Sector: Unknown / 9 246 955. M41 - Republic City / 170 AG /Year of the Horse**

Five days passed, five days that Kali used to begin Lilith's training and increased her knowledge of this new world that she had landed on. The first part had been easy, even with the student lamentations. Developed by the psykana Temple Calixis, the training was hard, unforgiving and designed to progressively transform simple humans into physical and psychic soldiers of the highest caliber. Each morning at five o'clock, they would both get out of bed, get dressed, stretched, went on a little five mile run, perform a series of various physical exercises, then come back to the motel to eat, spent the rest of the morning practicing meditation and multiple mental drills, eat again, then a mix of physical and mental training for the rest of the afternoon, and then supper and finally education until midnight. At least, that was the theory.

The Physical part, Lilith hated at first. During the first five mile run, she had collapsed after two. When she awoke, Solomon was standing on her face and the half flesh half metal bird was a lot of things but light was not one of those. By the time they were back to the room, she was feeling more sore and tired than anyone had ever been in the world; at least it was what she told herself.

"W... wh... why do we... have to... do so... much... running?"

"Because anyone who wants to have a decent chance of survival as an Acolyte, they must be able to pass the standard Imperial Guard test, it's a minimum."

"It... is... insane."

"If you need more reasons, It is also a part of your training as a psyker. How can you hope to control you power if you can't even control yourself? Now eat."

Lilith didn't like the second part either. The still meditation positions were uncomfortable and her sore muscles were constantly distracting her, making meditating almost impossible. After twenty minutes of this regime, she blew up.

"It's impossible!"

Kali closed her Witch sight and opened her physical eyes, mentally bringing herself back into the physical room.

"Yes?"

"It's impossible, okay. I can't concentrate."

"Sore muscles?"

"I feel like I've been beaten with a sledgehammer."

"During my training, they used to ask us to meditate while we were training. Any protest was answered with ten whip lashes."

Lilith paused for a moment.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Do you think it would help you concentrate?"

"No, no, it's okay."

"Good."

Ten minutes passed before she spoke again, still incapable of ignoring her painful muscles and looking for a way to distract her mind from it.

"Why are we meditating?"

"To help you discipline your mind."

"Why?"

Kali's mind twitched. "Sorry?"

"My mind, I mean, I know bending has a kind of spiritual side and all, but you don't really need them. Just, show me the moves, let my chi flow and all that stuff."

It is only thanks to her great self-control that Kali managed to resist the urge to facepalm.

"What was the size of the rock you threw at the Triad member?"

Lilith shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe my two fists together."

"And you were angry when it happened, right?"

"Yeah."

"That, is an example of a very minor uncontrolled psychic power manifestation."

'_Minor_' Lilith frowned.

"I once saw a Latent psyker like you get angry at her parents when we came to take her. You know what happened?"

"She threw a table at them?"

"Almost everyone's head in a one hundred yard radius instantly blew up."

That shut up her apprentice.

"Really?"

"Yes. If you don't discipline your mind, someday, that's gonna happen. Well, that is, if you are lucky."

"Lucky?" What was lucky in everyone around her having their head blown up?

"Yes. In the Warp, psykers are torches, attracting daemons like a flame attracts a moth."

Lilith gulped, the daemon's image was still fresh in her mind, in fact, she wasn't sure she could ever forget it.

"When they sense a weak minded psyker, they encircle him, reaping at his soul before tearing it open to emerge in reality."

"Emerge?"

"The daemon bursts forth from inside the psyker, making him explode."

Suddenly, Lilith wasn't feeling her painful muscles and way more interested in the whole 'control your mind' thing.

"So, do you still have questions about why you need to strengthen your mind?"

"No."

"Good."

The next set of questions didn't come up until supper. Lilith was devouring her meal with a ferocity rivalling that of a tyranid swarm while Kali was occupied carving the fine pieces of a complex mechanism.

"What are you doing?"

Still eating and with her plate in hand, she was leaning over the Inquisitor's shoulder.

"Working on the critical situation of our firepower level."

"Huh?"

"I'm making a weapon."

The eating girl almost choked.

"You wanna kill someone? Again?"

"Not at the moment, but you will soon find that you can't simply give Cultists or Chaos worshipers a simple slap on the wrist and a warning."

Lilith was fixing the back of Kali's head with undisguised repulsion. She wasn't that stranger to death happening around her, but it was mostly due to accidents or others unwanted circonstances. A direct murder was almost a one in a million occurence.

"You're violent."

"Better be violent and alive than peaceful and dead. And before you start thinking about it, yes, I expect you to be able to kill by the end of this training."

'Yeah, don't count on it'. Lilith turned back toward her meal, ending the discussion for now.

The last and final complaint was heard the moment Kali dropped a rented book in front of her.

"What? I thought they were only for you."

"Knowledge is power, guard it well."

"Huh?"

"An advice. Knowledge is a weapon and you need to be able to wield it. We both need to."

"Both?"

Lilith was a little surprised, Kali was the most ruthless, devious and intelligent person she had met, why would she need to study?

"Yes, my knowledge of this planet is still limited to the one you had when we met."

"Huh?"

Kali sighed. "I'll explain later."

Too tired to argue any longer, Lilith simply shrugged. "Fine."

They both studied, Kali with a little more passion and drive than Lilith. The Inquisitor had gotten the basics of the planet's language and writing from Lilith's head but she needed to expand them and quickly. The first day, she was reading with the level of young a schola, the second, like a young adult, by the fifth one she was fluent in the language and could read heavy text with ease. Phenomenal, though psychic powers may have been involved and there was still a mountain of lore she had to pass through before reaching the knowledge level of the locals. Though, she was probably one of the best engineers on the planet and the sum of her technological knowledge bigger than all of those present in the city.

* * *

A couple of events worth mentioning happened during those five days. During the third and the fifth day in fact.

* * *

The first event occurred after Kali took notice that Lilith only had one outfit and decided, against Lilith's will, that her own apprentice needed more than a dirty brown set of clothes. She left the girl to practice some easy mental exercises alone and exited the room, bringing Solomon, her flak coat, force shield, sword and Carnodon with her. Light gear really. Passing through the lobby, she saw the young clerk diverting his sight. After the first night, the motel director had complained about all the screaming and strange odours coming from her room, menacing to evict her, so she had asked to talk to the proprietor. Twenty minutes of private conversation later, she had convinced him to sell her fifty-one percent of the enterprise for one yuan. You find your money where you can after all and at least she didn't have to worry about paying for the room anymore. Since then, no employees had dared to look at her in the eyes.

It was pretty much the same thing that happened in the streets and with taxi drivers. Apparently due to her outfit if Lilith's word was to be believed. It's true that she had started to add typical Imperial adornment to her clothing, replacing the dull sleeve buttons with steel skulls, adding a little golden Aquila on the back of her gloves and so on. The result, every time she went walking on the streets the crowd opened in front of her, scarred at the mere sight of the Inquisitor. Had she been in power armor, Kali could have understood, but in street clothing and minimum armament, really? She couldn't get a grasp of these people but at least she always had the place to walk. What was inconvenient on the other hand was that it was nearly impossible to get a taxi, as if they were scarred of her. She almost had to stop them by grabbing the vehicle.

Anyway, her little quest for clothing took her no time. She grabbed pants, a shirt, a vest and others, all in black, then passed on to the real reason she had went shopping. This city had several shops near the education building they called a 'University' that sold various chemicals. They sold them openly, letting anybody buy them, be it simple pure water or dangerous acids. What a lack of common sense. In any way, she purchased what she needed and made her way back. Well, she tried at least because no taxi stopped for her. '_Fuck them._' Mildly annoyed, she sighed, shrugged and decided to make her way back on foot; after all, the City was laughably easy to navigate by Hive standards. Which explains why Kali wanted to believe very hard that it was by the will of the Emperor that she found herself lost in a park. This was, by the way, another mind boggling thing for Kali, a park, with trees, grass and all this stuff. What a useless loss of space.

She was contemplating all she could have built with all of this green land: ammunitions factory, barracks, training ground, sol-air defense, missiles silo, etc, while leaning against a little wooden bridge over an artificial stream when Solomon suddenly leaped from her shoulder. In the first half second it took her to turn toward the direction he had flown to, she heard a scream and a protestation from a girl and a beast. By the second half, Solomon had landed back on the railing, a fish in his beak and an angry girl at his pursuit. Dressed in shades of blue and accompanied by a rather large white furry creature that had the attributes of a decent predator, the black haired girl was obviously angry and charging right at Kali. It was terrifying.

Let it be clear, it was not the girl who was terrifying. She had an angry face that could probably have scarred a class of juvies on their first day of training but that would have made any guardsmen laugh. Furthermore, Kali could sense that it was simply a surface anger, like that of a kid when you take his toy away from him. Finally, she was blindly charging at her and had no visible weapon. Though that had little meaning considering the number of low level psykers on the planet. No, the terrifying thing to Kali was what was hiding inside the girl. To her psyker eyes, it was as if a ball of pulsating raw energy was where her heart should have been; giving her an aura of lightning and white fire so intense she could almost feel heat coming from it and sense her hair sticking up. The girl was possessed by a daemon; one so confident in its power that it didn't even try to conceal himself from Kali's sight. The moment she saw it, Kali's hand tightened around her weapon while her mental defenses hardened and her mind started calculating. The numbers of people around them, in the city, the number of buildings, her current equipment, the power of the daemon inside the girl and other details. 'So... between two or three thousand casualties at minimum. Good odds. For once.' The girl stopped in front of her and Kali removed the security of her Carnodon.

"Hey, your Raven-eagle stole my fish!"

She put her hands on her waist, waiting for an apology, while Kali was waiting for the daemon to take full control of its host. Two things that were not going to happen but both of them didn't know that. They each stood immobile, fixing each other in the eyes like people have done since the beginning of time in order to establish dominance. Or maybe there is another kind of reason why humans fix each other in the eyes but here it was probably the main point of this staredown. It lasted a full minute during which Korra's anger only grew more and more as the person in front of her stayed silent. Who did she think she was? Why did her eyes felt so strange? Did she have red hair? And damnit, why was she wearing so much black? Kali on the other hand was wondering if she could empty her revolver in the possessed fast enough, if it would be enough to stop it and was mentally flagellating herself for not having brought her plasma pistol. They both reach their critical point at approximatively the same moment; Korra was ready to throw a fireball at the girl just to make her react and Kali was slowly extracting her Carnodon from its holster. And as fascinating as it would have been, the battle was fortunately narrowly avoided thanks to two animals.

Naga's low grunt and Solomon's high pitched scream cut through the tension like a hot knife through butter. Both the Avatar and the Inquisitor turned toward the duo so fast that one could have sworn having heard their neck snap. Just beside them, the two pets were engaged in some sort of friendly animalistic conversation with Naga's head resting on the bridge's hand railing just next to Solomon, the two animals eating a fresh fish that had just been caught by the eagle. The two humans froze for one second, their mind doing their best to cope with the strange situation developing in front of them. Strangely, it was Korra who recovered first. She sighed, after all, if Naga found this girl's pet nice, she couldn't be that bad. Even if she wore way too much black. Thus, she extended her hand.

"Hi, I'm Korra."

Kali's mind was running at full speed. The host's anger had suddenly been replaced by calm and she could even sense a true, though very light, intention of friendship in her mind. What were the daemon's intentions? Why hadn't she tried to attack or at least probe her mind? Was the host some sort of trap? Was Solomon's opinion on the girl and her attack dog correct? If she had been anywhere else, Kali wouldn't have hesitated a second to attack the girl and blow her brain out. But here, away from the Imperium and without her usual authority, she had to be cautious. Daemons usually take control of important figures so this girl was probably someone important. Killing her could be problematic at the moment; furthermore, it apparently had not yet taken full control of the host. In these circumstances, she fell back on the motto of an ex-guardsman she had worked with. 'Improvise, Adapt and Overcome.' Hey, in a way, it had been what she had done since she had arrived here.

"Kali." She shook the blue girl's hand.

Before they had the time to continue the discussion though, an Arbitres apparently popped out of nowhere behind them, screaming and waving a stick into the air.

"Hey you, stop! You can't fish here!"

The four of them turn towards him, surprised. Kali was tempted to simply appease the man with a brush of will, but before she could even finish the thought Korra had jumped on Naga's saddle and was dragging the Inquisitor with her. It was suddenly too late for negotiations as the man in armor charged at them with his stick and so Kali simply chose to follow the flow. Thus, in a matter of seconds, the Inquisitor found herself ridding a large predatory beast sprinting through the park in the company of a possessed. This planet was really a cascade of weird first times, most of which Kali wished wouldn't have happened.

The run lasted for a couple of seconds, the time they got out of sight of the not at all tenacious agent of the law who did not even run after them for more than ten meters.

"Pfu, he had no chance at all" Korra turned toward her passenger. "Right?"

"Right. Let's just hope he didn't call backup." Kali said half joking.

"He can?" Korra seemed really worried for a moment, much to Kali's confusion.

"Nah, not for two fish thieves."

Korra pouted. "What kind of stupid rule is that, no fishing?"

'_Personally I am more intrigued as to how fish can survive in this park in the middle of the city. Probably put there each day. Another waste of resources._' "You're right. But since you didn't know about it I assume you're new to the City?"

"Yeah, I only arrived this morning."

"Alone?"

"Well, I had Naga with me" Korra pointed at the beast they were riding.

'_Alone then._' "So, why come here?"

Korra took a deep breath. "Well, in fact..."

Of course, she was interrupted.

"Are you tired of living under the tyranny of Benders? Then join the Equalists!"

The declaration, amplified by microphone, cut Korra's explanation short and brought her back to reality. Without realizing it, they had apparently stumbled upon some sort of public area where a man standing on a box was haranguing a small crowd of people. Okay, less than ten people, but still. Behind him was a large poster bearing the image of a masked man, probably the leader of the organization the man was recruiting for. They could have easily passed by without attracting any attention whatsoever or listen incognito but apparently this wasn't Korra's style. In fact, it could almost be said that discretion was a foreign concept to her.

"What are you talking about? Bending is the coolest thing in the world!"

If there was a better way to start a public debate, Korra did not know of it.

"Oh yeah, let me guess, you're a bender?"

"Yeah, I am."

Korra was obviously not a rhetoric expert and her opponent had some skills about turning people to his side so the ending of this conversation was already set, but Kali was willing to see where it was going to end, both for entertainment and informational purposes.

"Then I bet you'd just love to knock me off this platform with some waterbending, Eh?"

"I'm seriously thinking about it." Korra said while folding her arms across her chest.

'_Critical mistake here but you still have a chance to correct it._' Thought Kali

"This is what's wrong with this city, benders like this girl only uses their powers to oppress us!"

'_And you just lost it._'

Almost as if some sort of signal had been launched, the crowd turned toward them, angrily shouting.

"What?" Korra was taken aback by the sudden turn or events. "I'm not oppressing anyone, you're... you're oppression yourself!"

Incapable of holding herself any longer, Kali bursts out laughing. Hell, the last sentence didn't even make senses. It was pathetic, but in the funny kind of way. For the Avatar and the crowd, it was the weird image of an intimidating figure clad in black and skulls that was laughing out loud at their faces. And was she wearing a sword?

"Korra, for having made me laugh, I will win this for you."

"Huh?" Both Korra and the microphone man spoke at the same time. For Kali, it was even funnier.

"You, micro man."

The man on the box seemed surprised. "Me?"

"Yes, you. How will the Equalists find the benders?"

"What do you mean?"

"There is no way to differentiate a bender from a non-bender if they don't use their powers, right?"

"Well, yeah, but..."

"So how are you gonna find them once your revolution happens? You're just gonna pick up everyone you 'think' is a bender?" She emphasized the word. "So if I come and say that this guy." She pointed someone at random in the little crowd, making sure to do it so that the most people felt targeted. "You just make him disappear?"

The people were discretely starting to change sides, giving sideway looks to the microphone man.

"No, we..."

"You kill them." Everyone was shocked by that declaration, though Kali faked her own reaction. "That's how you want to get rid of the benders. Like the Fire Nation with the airbenders. You want to kill them all."

The fickle crowd turned on him like a pack of wolves. Really, it's amazing how easy it is to turn people's opinion when they are shocked by the simple implication of a genocide.

"Let's go."

It took Korra a moment to realize Kali had spoken to her.

"But... but... what?"

"Go, before they switch side again."

"But..."

"Go!"

Apparently the animal had more sense than its master because it immediately started to run away from the debate.

It took the group no time to get back to the streets of the city, leaving the Equalist recruiter behind them. Strolling under the sun and the shadow of the buildings, they resumed their interrupted conversation. Well, after Korra was calmed that is.

"Hey, you weren't serious, right?"

"About what?"

"Killing all the benders."

"Oh, that. '_Well, it would be the most practical and easy solution to what they see as a problem_.' I really doubt they have the will to do it."

"You're sure?" Korra was a little worried, the firenation and airbenders analogy having hit her hard.

"Of course. They wouldn't let them speak in public if that was their goal; don't you think?" '_Letting anyone have this level of free speech is foolish anyway and probably extremely dangerous. So, in fact, maybe they don't have a problem with people openly saying they will destroy them to the last. Bunch of idiots._'

"Yeah, you're right." She paused for a moment, switching from worry to light anger. "I don't see what they're complaining about anyway."

"You mean except the bender favouritism?"

"Huh, what favouritism?"

Was she serious? By the Warp she was. Well, after all, people have the tendency to not bother much with the situation of those outside their own close circle.

"Well, there are the numerous jobs that can seem to have been crafted to only allow benders, the fact that the city's high governing body is entirely composed of benders, same thing for the police officers. Also the fact that benders sometimes use their power to push around non-benders, if you know what I mean." Better be blunt with her, she doesn't appeared to be the brightest host ever.

"Oh, yeah." She lowered her head. "Guess you have a point."

"Though, this is fairly minor stuff, the real problem must be because of the Triad's benders."

"The who?" And just like that, her previous grief about her actions was forgotten.

"The criminal groups of the city are composed of benders. It's probably mostly because of their actions that the grudges against the benders have risen. By exploiting the fear and hate they generate, groups like the Equalists can grow powerful and find support were there was none before."

"That sounds dangerous."

"It is. Groups like this one brew tension and violence. Whatever they will do with their new power, it can't be good."

"And how do we stop them?"

'_We?_' "There are many ways." '_Crucify all the Triad members on a public place. Burn alive any person bearing the colors of the Equalists. Behead this Amon. Hang all the benders to the streetlights._' "But they all require time and effort of comprehension." '_Hey, in a way, yes. There are all the people needed to make the ropes, or the wooden crosses or the matches, that's a lot of people, time and resources involved. Mass murder is really a big business after all and you need to make sure they all understand their jobs and work well with each other._' While reflecting on that, she had the sudden need to let go of a light laugh. Here she was, riding a beast with an Emperor damned possessed and discussing social problems with the host. What next, philosophy with a Khorne daemon and cleanness with a Great Unclean One?

"Well, I'm the Avatar so I guess it's a little part of my job to change that."

Wait, what, what had she said?

"The what?"

"I'm the Avatar." Korra's smile was almost reaching her ears.

Kali on the other hand was puzzled, She had seen many Avatar of Khaine on various pict-recorders or video-recorders and had even seen one through binoculars when she worked with an Ordo Xenos colleague on the stopping of an Eldar attack. This girl was no Avatar, unless the standard for one had suddenly dropped from higher than ten meters tall nightmarish xenos fallen god of molten metal capable of tearing whole tanks squadrons apart to a seventeen year old hot-headed girl.

"I'm gonna need more explanations."

Now it was Korra's turn to be puzzled.

"You... don't know what the Avatar is?"

"Nope. But I'm also new to the city so maybe you can explain to me what the title is and means."

Korra was stunned. How could someone not know what the Avatar was? Even the most remote villagers in the world knew what the Avatar was. Was she an alien or what?

"You're kidding, right?"

'_Shit_. _Guess it is common knowledge around her_' Kali needed to correct herself and fast. "Of course." She faked a half sorry, half joking smile. "But what do you think your role as the Avatar is?"

Incredibly, it was enough to make Korra almost forget about her previous statement and redirect her mind in an entirely new direction.

"Well, I'm still in training, but I must maintain the harmony between the four nations and between the spirit and material world."

'_Oh great, the host thinks it's some sort of bridge to the Warp. Maybe I should just shoot her in the back and to hell with the consequence._' Though, while thinking that, Kali couldn't shrug off the strange feeling she had about this possessed. During all of the time they had spent together, the daemon inside her had not so much as twitched or tried to influence its host in any way she could see. For all intents and purposes, the daemon was sleeping. Frankly, the situation was frustrating to the highest point. '_Fuck it, I'll let her go for now. If she starts sacrificing people, at least I will have some reason to burn her._' With that in mind, she returned to the conversation with Korra.

"Okay, so... does maintaining harmony include beating up criminals?"

"Why do you ask that?"

Kali simply pointed at one of the stores with the outrageously painted car parked in front of it and the three Triad members intimidating the owner. From there, it took less than a second for Korra to jump from Naga and rush toward them, a smug expression on her face.

"...give me the money, or else."

"Or else what?"

The three of them spinned around at hearing the Avatar's taunt. They looked really similar to the three idiots the Inquisitor had killed on her arrival and as clueless as they were. An opinion further enhanced when they all started laughing at the threat.

"Since you're obviously fresh off the boat, let me explain a couple of things. You're in Triple Threat Triad territory and we're about to put you in the hospital."

'_Not with those combat stances, jackass._'

"You're the only ones who're gonna need a hospital, and for your sake I hope there's one nearby."

And more taunting on the Avatar's part. Kali, still on Naga, was a little disappointed by the whole situation. First, Korra had opted for the 'Look at me style' rather than the 'Surprise motherfuckers' which would have ended this encounter way more quickly and with way less collateral damage that Kali could see coming fast. But still, it would be a good occasion to see how benders fight and she could still intervene if it ever gets out of hand.

"Who do you think you are?" The apparent leader's tone was irritated.

"Why don't you come and find out?"

And with those words, the fight started. The leader's right eye jerked with anger just before he sent a bolt of water at Korra's chest. It was so slow that the Avatar had the time to react, catching the water and sending it back at the scum's face who didn't react, except if you count making a surprised face as a reaction. Interestingly, the water froze when it hit his face. Maybe she was planning on asphyxiating the scum? Nope, the man stumbled a moment toward the Avatar who then kicked him in the face, sending him crashing against his car and breaking the ice helmet he had. What a shame. The next attack, if it can be called that, came in the form of the earth tone dressed man who made a jumping movement in the Avatar's direction. Kali sensed the psychic power building inside him, but before he could even come close to releasing it, Korra raised the earth under him. That was the moment that Kali refocused on the Avatar. Up until now, she had only seen and read about benders capable of a limited manipulation of one made up spiritual element and now this girl had made use of two. Even more interesting was that the daemon inside her suddenly twitched when she did it, as if the act had deranged him in his sleep. Intriguing. Anyway, back to the man. A part of Korra's power also seemed to include telekinesis because the guy who had saw the ground under him sprung up was thrown into the air a good twenty meters up. Fortunately for him, his would be lethal fall was slowed down by the cables, fabric top and a food stand. Still, his back was probably broken, he had a concussion, three broken vertebrae and a sprained foot. The question now was to discover if Korra wanted to kill him or simply didn't realize what she can do. Anyway, the last one left tried to conjure some kind of fire shower that barely reached the temperature needed for a first degree burn. Without a second thought, Korra jumped through, receiving no damage whatsoever and grabbing the hands of the last scum. '_Wonder how she would react to a promethium shower._' Using only strength and some physics, the mighty Avatar then spun the guy around and threw him through the shop window, apparently forgetting that she had intervened in order to protect the merchant and not trash his store even more. Short, the fight ended with that and a last mock from Korra.

"Got an idea about who I am now, chumps?"

At least that's what Kali was thinking before the Triad car speeded up past them. In a hurry, it picked up the scums and went racing down the street, trying it's best to get away. A futile effort really, because two seconds later the ground under them blew upward and sent their vehicle crashing into another store.

The four of them, Naga, Korra, Kali and Solomon rushed toward the wrecked car, passing stunned citizens. Kali was expecting a scene of carnage, but by some strange coincidence, no one had died. The shop and the car were total disasters of course, but nobody had been crushed by the car, none of the scums had passed through the windshield and no bystander had been hit. Truly a miracle. Constating the situation, Korra turned toward Kali.

"So, what'd you think?"

'_Slow, unprecise, you don't understand the power you freely wield around, you make more damage than the criminals, your attacks lack the will to kill and it's only because your opponents are incompetent and as unwilling to kill as you are that you've won._' "Nice." With a smile. '_At least you have the raw power._'

Luckily, before they had the time to continue what would have been without a doubt a very awkward conversation, blasting sirens began to ring above them. They all raised their heads to see the imposing/tiny depending on who you ask airship hovering above them. Painted in black and covered with metal, the metalbender's police zeppelin was truly a sight to behold if you have never seen bigger or were not actively reflecting on the consequence of someone shooting anything remotely flamy at it.

"Police! Freeze where you are!"

'_And here are the Arbitres, just after the scums have been incapacitated. What a coincidence._'

As soon as the order was heard, three men in armor jumped from a lateral door. For a second, Kali wondered if these three had suddenly decided to commit suicide before seeing little grapnel lines being shot from their wrist. Of course, she had forgotten about those for a second. In no time, they all reached the ground and came in front of them.

"I caught the bad guys for you officers."

They only gave a side look to the three stunned triad members before ensnaring the trio and taking them away. Korra, of course, had a smug face during the whole time. Well, that is, until the senior policeman stepped in front of her.

"You're under arrest too."

Korra really didn't expect that.

"What do you mean I'm under arrest? Those are the bad guys over there; they were smashing up a shop." She was confused and upset, a dangerous mix when dealing with any authority.

"From the looks of it you smashed up a lot more than that."

'_Called it._'

Almost at the same moment Kali had this thought, the Ar.., no, the policeman shot his grapnel at Korra who dodged to the right of it and grabbed it. At this point, it became almost redundant to mention how slow the line was if someone can dodge it at literally point blank range. Anyway, useless to say Korra protested vehemently and awkwardly.

"Wait, you, you can't arrest me. Let me explain!"

Did it work?

"You can explain yourself all you like down at headquarters."

Nope.

Almost immediately the two of them engaged into battle and, of course, Kali was dragged along with Korra. The metalbender shot again and again Korra dodged it with a backflip. A little overkill but it worked. Naga who was just behind him jumped forward, knocking out the policeman and allowing the Avatar to jump back on her. A moment later, they were sprinting away with the three metalbenders in pursuit. Being on foot, they didn't really have a chance to catch up with them but one of them jumped in their direction, grabbing on the furry creature's side. A boot to the face from Kali dislodged him promptly and violently, breaking one of his teeth. The next instant after that little kick were then spent by Kali hanging desperately to the creature's saddle and trying to avoid all the grapnels shot in their direction.

"Why the hell did you resist!" Kali was starting to feel her anger against the Avatar rise, how could someone taking so rash, no, stupid decisions like that maintain any kind of harmony at all.

"What!?" The wind was rushing at their ears, making hearing anything but the loudest sounds almost impossible.

"Why did you resist dumbass!"

"What!?"

"You're an idiarg!"

"What!?"

Kali didn't answer because one of the grapnels twisted itself around her neck. Again, thinking about it after the fact she isn't sure if the metalbender wanted to kill her or didn't realize what he was doing. Being oblivious is apparently a bender tradition as far as Kali could see for they all have the quality in spades. It was only her reflexes and gear that saved her from having her trachea crushed. Her right hand grabbed the metal wire and pulled it with all of its superhuman mechanical strength while her left hand drew a Damaskin blade from one of its hidden sheaths and slashed at the wire. Now, important thing, Damaskin Kineblades are not meant to be wielded by hand. They literally have no handle. Meaning that at the same time the mono-blade cut the metal, it dug deep inside her closed fingers, only stopping at the bone. She gritted her teeth, ignoring the pain to rather focus on the sensation of liberation she felt around her neck.

Korra had apparently not even remarked what had just happened and had just continued to sprint through the streets. And so, when Kali looked around her, she saw they had momentarily lost the policemen and were approaching the suspended road system of the city.

"Go under!"

"What?"

"Under the road!"

"Over the road, okay."

Kali wanted to scream her frustration but it was already too late. Naga had climbed the stair leading to the suspended structure and was dodging incoming cars.

"I sai...!"

Again, she was interrupted by the shock of Naga's jumping from the road and landing atop a passing train. It was at this point that the Inquisitor gave up. It was not something she did often or enjoyed, but here she could clearly see that there was no getting through the adrenaline pumped Host/Avatar and that it would be better to simply concentrate on her own survival. All of this was summarized in two words.

"Fuck it."

But of course, even that was buried under the sound of a screaming horn coming from the airship that had suddenly come over them. Considering where they were, Kali knew there was no way out of it. Well, at least not while riding with Korra or without going at length that would shock this prude word that is. '_Solomon, hide._' And thus, as her friend plunged in the shadows of the low streets, Kali braced herself for whatever Korra and Naga were going to do. Unfortunately, they did not disappoint by deciding to jump from the train to a nearby rooftop, getting caught by the metal wires of the airship the moment they touched the roof. The cold lines ensnared the three of them in a tight grip, raising them into the air and preventing any escape. If you were a simple human or bender that is, but Kali wasn't looking to escape. In fact, she was mostly upset that the lines were forcing her left fist to stay close and thus were making the Damaskin cut deeper in her flesh. Korra, herself, was simply really upset and angry at having been captured.

Restrained, they were slowly being dragged back to the headquarters, leaving ample time for a discussion. Agreed, the wind forced them to scream everything but apart from that it was pretty okay. It was Kali who started, mostly to vent her frustration and take her mind away from the blade bitting into her palm.

"Korra!"

The Avatar raised her head.

"What!?"

"Are you really the Avatar!?"

"Of course I am!" Had she not seen her bending three elements?

"Then why did you resist!?"

"But he wanted to arrest me!"

"You have a rank over the leader of the nations, you would have gotten out in no time."

"I don't have a rank."

"Aren't you supposed to maintain harmony?" 'Or some shit like that.'

"Well yeah, but I don't really have any real position of power. I think I'm more supposed to be some kind of advisor."

"So you are supposed to maintain harmony but you have no power, no army and anyone can ignore your decisions?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it like that but..."

"Stop. Just... why did you come here then?" '_Other than ruining my day._'

"You remember when I said I was still in training?"

"Yes, what of it?"

"You know, Tenzin, last airbender master?"

"No I don't."

"Really?"

"Really, now please explain." '_If only she wasn't a host._' Trying to uncover more than her surface thoughts would have opened a weakness in her own defenses and when facing a daemon it's the last thing you want.

"Okay, okay. Tenzin was supposed to train me but because he has responsibilities in the city he couldn't stay. So I decided to come here to be trained instead."

"Since I found you wandering in the city without anyone, I guess your travel to the city wasn't approved by a lot of people."

"Not really, yeah."

"Great."

The pain coming from her hand wasn't that bad after all.

* * *

Officer Jing was not in the best of moods. When they had received the call about the trouble caused by a couple of Triad thugs down in downtown, he assumed it would be a good occasion to collect the Triad's 'get out of jail' contribution. They arrived after a couple of minutes, just enough for the Triad guys to finish whatever they were doing, and found himself at what looked to have been the scene of a flash tornado. Two stores were destroyed, the street was in pieces, the Triad car was wrecked and the three scums were badly hurt. Zolt was not going to be pleased with that, not one bit. Then, when he tried to arrest the waterbender responsible for the destruction, he was knocked down by her giant dog-bear and she ran away with her accomplice. Probably the earthbender responsible for the street's state, even if she wore black rather than green. He and his men ran after them and he definitely felt one of his wires grab something at one point. Probably the accomplice. But he was then suddenly dragged forward and had his line cut, sending him crashing into one of the city's rivers. Then after having finally caught them with the airship and brought them back to headquarters, Bei Fong simply took the waterbender away and forbade him to approach her, leaving him with only the earthbender to interrogate without any explanation. Let's just say it didn't help his already shitty mood.

As he was making his way to the cell they had put the earthbender in, he was reviewing what little info they had about her. She had red hair, green eyes, a pretty face, was dressed almost completely in black clothes, had a strange sword with her, '_A sword, really, pfu, as if everyone didn't already know they were useless against metalbenders._', many little pointy lead cylinders and some strange hair dryer. In short, she was a complete mystery to everyone and Jing didn't like mysteries, not at all. He entered the cell with a classic angry police face, dropping on the chair facing her and faking to read her file while really observing her. It was the usual tactic they used to make the criminals crack, putting tension on them and so on until they start confessing. But here, it was all wrong. Each time he raised his sight from the papers in his hands, he found two piercing green eyes fixing him. It was as if they were gazing at his very soul, never flinching or even moving. He couldn't even sustain her stare, always diverting his eyes first. And if that wasn't enough, he could feel a headache slowly growing, like as if someone was hitting his helmet with a hammer. In the end, angry and exhausted, he broke the silence first.

"So miss, what's your name?"

She didn't answer, making Jing's headache and anger grow. He wasn't used to lowly scums giving him attitude.

"Hey, I said..."

"Officer Jing, how much do the Triads pay you to assure their members protection?"

He slammed his hands against the table.

"What!" '_Five thousand yuans a month._'

"Thanks for your answer. Now, where are my weapons and things?"

"Now wait a minute you, I never answere..." '_Confiscated evidence room._'

"Of course. Is this file all you have on me?"

Jing's headache was the worst he had ever had and the fact that he couldn't even look the girl in the eyes didn't help. She had progressively passed from pretty face to real beauty to goddess to terrifying goddess of flames. Her hair seemed to be ablaze, framing her face in red and gold. Her eyes were fixed on him, never moving and seeing his very thoughts. The air in the room had become hot and hard to breathe, and he couldn't even cough, immobilized as he was under her gaze. In fact, right now as she was looking through him, he couldn't even imagine lying to her.

"Yes madam."

"Do you have the key to the confiscated evidence room?"

"Yes madam."

"Stand up."

He stood up, incapable to disobey. On the other side of the table, the goddess rose too, approaching and standing in front of him so that he was forced to look her into the eyes. They were terrible and magnificent at the same time, two blazing vortexes of pure power and energy, pulsating with lightings and silvery blue lights.

"From now on, you work for me. I want to know everything that happens and is of any interest. Anything about the Triads, the police, the Equalists, strange murders, madmen, I want to know. Understood?"

"Yes madam."

"And if you ever even think about betraying me..."

Before he could even think an answer, his left hand erupted in pain as if it was melting. Which was not far from the truth. A white fire was covering the back of his hand, eating the flesh away and leaving a black carbonized mark in the form of a large strange letter, a capital I.

"... I will not simply kill you, I will kill your girlfriend, the one with the red scarf who likes lemon cakes, I will torture you both to the point you will consider death a relief. I will make you regret to have even met her, to have even been born. Am I clear?"

Jing was on the ground, panting in pain.

"Yes, yes madam."

"Good. But if you serve me well."

Instantly, the pain disappeared. Replaced by a fresh cooling sensation.

"Not only will you keep the Triad money, I will even pay you and give you a gift beyond your wildest imagination. Now get up."

Jing got on his feet, massaging his still marked hand. There was fear and anger in his eyes but he had enough intelligence to understand that the girl who had just casually burned his hand and threaten him of death was something way more scary than Zolt would ever be. His head lowered, he walked up to the door and was about to open it when he remembered a detail.

"What about the file?"

"What file?" Damnit, even her smiles were scary.

"The file." He turned toward the table, only to find a small pile of ashes where the papers previously were.

"Oh."

"Yes, now let's go. I've fallen behind on my little project with all of that."

* * *

Kali descended the stairs of the police headquarters, one of the only buildings that partially met the Inquisitor's size expectation, accompanied by her new informant and absentmindedly scratching the fading scar on her left hand. Using the energy of the Warp to heal one's flesh wasn't Kali greatest or favorite ability but it had its uses.

"Jing."

"Yes?"

"What happened to the person who was with me?"

"I don't know, the chief took her away for a personal interrogation."

"Hmm, when you get news, you know what to do."

"Where do I send them?"

Kali didn't answer as a single high pitched scream pierced the air a moment before Solomon landed on Kali's extended arm, surprising the metalbender. He was even more surprised when he saw that one of the bird's eyes was a metal contraption with a red glowing light.

"Wh... what?"

Kali grinned at him. "Don't ask too much questions Jing, it will get you killed. And for contacting me, you already know where and why."

It was true; Kali had implanted the information in his mind. She had also implanted a bashing headache each time he would have the itch to talk about her to someone else but she wasn't going to tell him that.

"Good day officer."

When she finally came back to the room around noon, Lilith was hectic. She almost jumped at the Inquisitor when she entered.

"Where were you?"

"Talking with the Avatar."

"What?" A look of disbelief and confusion appeared on her face.

"Yes and honestly, if those are your standards for planetary peacekeeping, it explains a lot about this place."

"What do you mean it explains a lot?" She pouted at the indirect insult.

"You'll understand some day. Anyway, I also made a trip with her that ended in a police cell."

"Really? How'd you get out?"

"I simply convinced an officer to let me go."

"As simple as that?"

"Yes. I also convinced him to give us any information we want and he has."

Lilith just looked at Kali, a dumbfounded look on her face.

"Psychic powers are an advantage in these situations I admit. Now, you, I expect that you continued with the exercises, yes?"

Suddenly, the previously angry looking black eyes of Lilith were filled with dread.

"Well, you see, I was really preoccupied with..."

"No dinner." Kali grinned like a cat.

"What?"

"No dinner for you today. And if you don't start immediately with those exercises you're not getting supper either."

The young girl stood immobile for an instant.

"What are you waiting for, go!"

That got her to move.

The rest of the day passed without any other major incident, save for one minor. Lilith was in the middle of meditating, having finally managed to ignore her physical body and the many sounds of the room when some asshole in the corridor started talking about the pro-bending competition and the team he was supporting. She tried to ignore it for several minutes but the guy just wouldn't shut up about it. Slowly, she felt her frustration and anger build up inside her, each of the man's words striking at her nerves like needles until she simply couldn't bear it any longer.

"Hey! Jackass! Shut up!"

She opened her eyes to find Kali's face two centimetres away from hers. Surprised, she jumped backward.

"What, what I do?"

Like every time she looked into Kali's eyes when they were filled with power, her heart's tempo went crazy. She felt the temperature of her face rise as the Inquisitor leaned over her.

"There was no one talking."

"What?" Of course there was.

"No, and he was two floors below us."

Lilith stayed silent, absorbing what she had said and decoding their meaning.

"You mean..."

"Yes. You read his thoughts."

"I did? I did!" She felt exalted, she had just read the thoughts of another person. Then, she felt a little terrified. She had just read the thoughts of another person.

"Don't be scared. You will learn to control it and protect your own mind. Now come, time to eat. You earned your supper."

She extended her hand, lifting the aspirant from the ground.

"Soon, we will be able to pass to the hard part of the training."

The look of horror on Lilith's face was so funny, Kali simply bursted out laughing.

* * *

The Fifth day.

It was around noon while they were eating, interrupted by a really interesting conversation.

"Kali?"

"Yes?"

"Are you an alien?"

The Inquisitor almost choked when she heard that.

"Lilith, really, I like you. But if you call me an Emperor damned Xeno one more time I will rip your eyes out with a spoon."

"Woah, sorry. It's just, you're obviously not from around here and by around here I mean the world."

"Really, what gave it away?" Kali was smiling, the amusement quite apparent in her voice. 'Took you long enough to ask.'

"Gezz, where to start. There's the way you dress, the fact that you walk around armed, and that your eagle's eye is a freaking metal one or maybe just that your have some super freaky power. By the way, how come no one has stopped you from your weapons?"

Kali took the time to finish her bite before answering, thinking.

"You're right in a way. I do not come from this planet but I can assure you that I am human. And as for the weapons, it's simply a question of assurance. Most people are weak and when they see someone confident they tend to shut up and let them do whatever they are doing."

"So, if you are not from this p-planet..." She stuttered a little on the word. "... where are you from?"

"From the Imperium."

"The what?"

"The Imperium. Founded more than ten millennia ago by the God-Emperor, the grand empire of Humanity spans the galaxy and millions of worlds. Uniting untold billions of humans under its banner, it is an empire in eternal war with those that want to see it destroyed."

"Okay." Lilith's face was the image of calmness; her mind on the other hand was like a volcano at the moment. Still, Kali could sense that her mental defenses were slowly growing. Passing from null to paper thin, good progress for only five days of training.

"I see that you have many more questions. Let me tell you the history of the Imperium before asking them, okay."

"Is it a story of honour, courage, friendship and love?"

"Yes. Under a heavy layer of abominable treasons, countless horrendous sacrifices and a constant struggle for survival that is but, in essence, yes."

And with those words Kali began to tell the bloody and long history of Humanity since its beginning on Holy Terra up to M41. She spared the girl no details, even the goriest and inhumane ones. The three wars of Armageddon, the thirteen crusades of Failbadon, the Tyrannids, the Necrons, the Orks, Chaos, and the Horus Heresy. So many wars and so many enemies. Sometimes, it feels like they are the only things on the Imperium, wars and the enemies fighting in them. That and the mountains of bodies that are grinded between the rusted gears of the Imperial war machine. She told the girl of the Imperium, its organization, the many worlds she had visited, the enemies she had fought, the horrors she had seen, the people she had saved, those she couldn't save, those she had killed, those she had killed slowly. At many points, Lilith began to sob uncontrollably and shiver as Kali was describing her many fights against Chaos worshipers and cultists. There was the Agri world Opal III where a group of Khorne berserkers had replaced the fields of wheat with fields of impaled humans. 90% of the planet's population, men women and children had been slain in the name of the God of blood. The Shrine world of Zalaria, who saw fifty percent of its population infected by a Warp plague. It is said that one can still smell the odour of burning flesh hanging in the air, the result of the Holy purification brought by the local Sororitas Commandery on the fallen. Kali, herself, mostly remembered the massive burn she had gotten from firing a heavy-flamer almost continually for two weeks at the endless horde of zombies.

When Kali finished talking, almost three hours had passed. Lilith was sitting silently on the bed, reflecting about the story Kali had just told her. From anyone else, she would have laughed and put that person in the crazy category. But from her, the scary red haired woman with all the strange powers. She wasn't the kind to tell stupid stories or lie, not that kind at least. That meant that there was no other way for the story to be anything but the truth. Which was unfortunate, because it meant that the universe was now crazier and more dangerous by a thousand fold compared to this morning. In fact, she almost wished that Kali's story was false so that she wouldn't be so scared shitless. Lilith could still feel the taste of bile that had burned her throat when Kali had explained to her in detail her march through a village of cannibals.

"Well, that explains why you're so violent."

Kali lifted her head from the multiple powders aligned in front of her, turning toward Lilith.

"Because if you weren't you would have died a long time ago." Lilith added.

"Mostly, yes."

Lilith sighed.

"Why do I feel I would have been better off not knowing anything about this?"

"Because it's right. Knowledge is a double edged weapon and fighting the Enemies of Humanity is not work for the coward or the sane."

"So you admit you're insane?" Said Lilith with a smirk.

"Of course, any sane human being would have killed himself a long time ago."

Lilith nodded. "The worse thing is, after all that you have told me, I think you are right."

"And here you are, still alive after having seen a demon."

Lilith couldn't repress a shudder when she heard Kali say that.

"So, how insane am I?" Her voice was but a faint murmur.

"Not too much. You still have enough sanity to doubt your choice of going on. Don't worry though; I'll fix that soon enough." That made her smile a little. '_But you're not gonna like one bit._'

A little silence latter, she spoke again.

"How do you do it?"

"What? Kill people?"

"No, well, yes, also but I meant how do you continue to fight each day knowing that for every problem you solve, ten appear somewhere else on the... galaxy." She still had a little trouble with the concept of the galaxy being so big and so full of people.

"Most Inquisitors have a deep faith in the God-Emperor and believe it is their sacred duty to protect Humanity until His return. Most also have a deep hatred of Chaos in all of its forms and fight it in any way they can. Then, there are a lot of other reasons that varies from one individual to the other. Me, well, I have faith, in my own way. I have seen too many times what beliefs and will can accomplish to not have it in some form and the Emperor is the closest thing Humanity has had as a benevolent god. Even if having read the Imperial Truth has given me a different perspective, I still believe that, in some way, some part of him watches over us. Though, the journal of a certain commissar has also taught me that the safest way to stay alive is still to make sure that the Emperor doesn't have to help you. It distracts him from the bigger things. As for the hate against Chaos, oh yes, that, I have in spades. The Imperium is not perfect but Chaos, no, Chaos is a maelstrom of death, destruction and madness. The only thing it brings is pain and sadness and each victory I make against it means one less person who will get hurt, one less kid losing his parents, one less city being destroyed, one less planet being exterminated. We are nothing but pawns for the Chaos Gods and every occasion I have to spit in their eye and prove that Humanity is not a race of weak slaves, I will gladly take." She took a second to breathe and collect her thoughts. "And as for personal reasons. So that the sacrifice of my friends was not in vain, so that my soul is not eaten by a freaking demon, to prove I can make a difference."

Lilith looked into Kali's eyes, two artificial green irises that radiated power.

"And did you?"

Kali raised herself from her chairgaze and didn't flinch but her face suddenly bore a great smile.

"One day, on some feudal planet I can't even remember the name; I saved a bunch of little girls from a Slaanesh cult. Wasn't really an exceptional thing, a simple swipe and clean. But after the attack, I don't know how but I found myself sitting on the top of a ruined tower with one of the saved girls. She was maybe nine or ten with dirty hair that had once been golden and tired deep blue eyes. That I remember. We both sat there in silence, simply watching the sunset on the endless forest of red and blue trees that was surrounding the tower. It was as if the world had become an ocean with waves of flames. I shared what was left of my ration with her, not much really, cold grox meat, a little water, some bread, but I still think it was one of the best meals I ever had. And once the sun had disappeared, we watched the two moons of the planet slowly rise over the horizon. It was then she extracted something from her pocket, it was a little white flower, and the moment the moonlight touched it, it changed to a silvery ruby red. She handed it to me and simply said: Thank miss, Miss Inquisitor." Kali paused for a moment, gently smiling at the memory. "For this girl, I made a difference."

Lilith turned her head away, trying to hide the small tears that were rolling down her cheeks.

"Hey, you're not supposed to cry when it's a happy story."

"I'm not crying." She said while sweeping away drops of salt water from her face.

"Mind reading, remember."

"Shut up okay." She sniffed and raised her head. "What happened after that?"

"She joined the Adepta Sororitast, the Order Hospitaller in fact. As for the flower..." Kali unscrewed the bottom of the sword that never left her side, extracting a little crystal that contained the ruby red flower. "I still have it with me every time I fight."

They both smiled, enjoying the little moment of peace until Kali sighed and rose from the bed.

"Enough with the peace, enemies are coming our way."

"Huh?"

"Three people are climbing the east wall and coming for the window. Solomon saw them. I guess the TTT found out who killed their men and now they want payback. Take this." She threw her chainknife at Lilith.

"What's this?" It looked like a knife but with metal teeth along the blade, scary. And heavy, seriously what was this knife made of?

"Chainknife. Press the trigger on the handle when you use it."

She did and the teeth suddenly began to swirl rapidly around the weapon with a furious roar. The weapon had just passed from scary looking to vicious looking.

"The fuck!"

"Nice. Keep your fingers clear of the teeth and everything should be fine. Now go block the door and stick that inside anyone who tries to pass through."

It took Kali only a couple of instants to organize the defense of the room. But then again, it is not that hard to organize the defense of a ten by twenty meter room that basically only contains two beds, a table with two chairs, a workbench, a sofa and a big shelf. Of course there was other little rooms attached to the main one but they didn't have any windows on the east side while the chamber had two. Also, the floor was in hard wood with a heavy green carpet, the walls were red and the ceiling was bare, if anyone cares. The table and chairs had been put against the main door, the couch against one of the windows and the shelf had been placed just beside the other window with Kali leaning against it. Her Carnodon in her left hand, she was waiting for the first of the assailants to pass the window. She had unlocked it but not opened it; it would have been way too obvious otherwise. Soon, she heard tapping against the glass and the sound of fingers pushing upward the wooden frame. Then, the creaking of the window being lifted and of someone sliding inside. Really, these assassins were as loud as a pack of orks; she could have heard them from the other side of the building.

In short, she spinned on her feet, coming right in front of a young man, maybe seventeen, half in half out of the room and really surprised to find a six foot tall woman in front of him all of a sudden. He didn't have time to voice his surprise though, before a hand gripped him by the collar and threw him on the bed with enough force to stun him briefly. Protests were heard from below the window when he was pulled inside, but a shelf slid in front of it shutting them up. Back on the bed, the boy in shoddy clothes tried to get back on his feet only to be stopped by a supersonic lead bullet shot just between his legs.

"You, five seconds to find a reason for me not to kill you. Five, four, three, tw..."

"Noooo! Stop!"

Lilith had thrown herself in front of Kali's gun, waving her hands and shaking her head left and right.

"Don't shoot!"

Then, something surprising happened when the boy jumped, well, bumbled in front of her. Covering her with his body.

"Don't hurt Lilith!"

Only for Lilith to put him back behind her and say almost the same thing.

"Don't hurt-" '_Zhao_'

Now, it could probably have gone longer, but Kali isn't one who likes to play along cliché. Pressing the trigger once more with her gun pointed upward, she took control of the situation.

"Both of you shut up!"

They stiffened immediately.

"You, Zhao, I guess you are a friend of Lilith coming here to save her. Right?"

"Uh, yes."

"Okay. Lilith, I suppose you have completely forgotten to inform your friends about the situation here and have also forgotten to inform me about you having friends crazy enough to climb a motel wall in the middle of the afternoon and assault us."

"Yeah... sorry."

Kali sighed before putting her gun back into her holster and turning away from the duo.

"Well, I have some things to pick up. I should be back in around an hour so use this time for your reunion talk, bring back your other friends and if you fuck, I don't care as long as it isn't in my bed. Goodtime."

Facing away from them, she didn't see their faces turning an interesting shade of intense red but she did feel the embarrassment and numerous images that stormed their minds. Very amusing.

* * *

When she came back, the room had been put back into its usual state and the entire gang was sitting around in the room. Of course, there was Lilith who was seated on the couch, mostly dressed in the black clothes Kali had gotten her. She had black pants, a black camisole, and an open white shirt that she insisted on wearing despite Kali's protests, a pair of red shoes and a black leather wristband with pentagrammic runes that Kali had forbidden her to take off under penalty of death. Her dark hair had been cut pretty short, giving her some sort of tomboy look. On the same vein, her face lines were rough but well defined, a result of her life and one that the training only contributed to enhance. Combined with her tired small black eyes, she gave away the vibe and look of some small feral cat. Now, if only she could convince her to start bearing some weapons. Beside her was Zhao. He wore some dirty green pants, no shoes and a brown t-shirt. On most people, they would have given away a feeling of poverty and pity but on him they only gave a feel of strength. Not really the usual strength as in physically strong, though he had a muscular frame that indicated a certain raw force, but more in the sense of a strong mind, of determination, that he would go on through anything thrown at him. Most of this feeling was coming from his face. It wasn't especially rough or cut with a knife but it was solid. Mostly, it's his eyes, calm brown eyes that examined each situation with attention, always focused on the present and the task at hand. Kali had seen the same look on factory workers, the kind who made the best guardsman. Yes maybe there was something she could do with him, even if right now Kali largely saw doubt in his eyes. Sitting, well, more down on the bed was maybe a fifteen or sixteen year old girl with, again, dark hair. Wearing a pair of black pants, yes, a fire red camisole, a pair of dark boots and a red glove with no fingers on the right hand, she was apparently testing the springs of the bed and was the only one who didn't look at her with only doubt and suspicion but also curiosity. Though, since she was intensely eyeing Solomon, it might not have been her she was curious about. She also had the unique psychic signature corresponding to a bender and if she could trust the color coding these people had devised as to make themselves more easily shootable, she was of the fire kind. With her wild long horse tail, big black hair and twisted smile, she gave off the image of a wild card. A third one was looking over her workbench, currently protected by Solomon, and was wearing a bluish jacket and pants. From him, she could feel more curiosity than doubt. Lastly, Kali could feel the loyalty toward Zhao and distrust of her from the three in the room.

She turned her head toward Lilith.

"So I guess you have told them what has happened."

"Yes."

"And a lot of what I told you."

"Yes."

"And none believed you."

They all answered.

Zhao. "No."

The wild card. "Nope."

Blue man. "Not really."

'Well that's a shame.' They all jumped, except Lilith that is. In fact, Kali even sensed her mind harden a little. Good.

"How did you do that?" It was blue boy who spoke first.

"I believe Lilith has already told you that."

"And how can you expect anyone to believe you." Now it was Zhao's turn.

"I can melt your brain if you want more proof."

"Watch out Zhao, she's capable of doing it." Lilith said.

"Yes I am, but I would rather not have to hide a body today so, now that you know that Lilith is in no danger, why are you still here?"

There was a little moment of silence that was broken by the wild one.

"Well, since you really come from space and a super violent empire always at war, I want in."

The three teenagers turned toward her in surprise.

"Azula!" They shouted.

"What? We all thought the same thing."

"Stop" Kali wasn't going to let this evolve into some kind of juvenile drama. "And wait, from what I have read Azula was the name of the older sister of the previous ruler of the Firenation and it apparently wasn't a common name. Care to explain?"

"What do I get?" Her grin was impressive in its deviousness.

"Me not raping your mind..." Her smile faded. "... and a job."

Her smile grew back while the face of everyone in the room except for Kali's decomposed.

"I didn't like the name my parents gave me and I like villains, seemed right."

"Okay, and what's your real name?"

"Secret." '_Don't think about it, don't think about it._'

"Work with me, you're hired." 'F_unny._'

"Wait! Wait! What?" These were Lilith's words, then Zhao and then the blue guy, quick mind reading, Hui.

"Come on Zhao, we were all thinking it." Azula raised her eyes to the sky.

"Maybe. But that's no reason for throwing yourself at her."

"There is a job in it for you too Zhao, in fact I have a job offer for a lot of people. As long as they are not afraid of extreme death, turning insane, or life and death situations."

"And that's supposed to interest us?"

"Well, there is also a lot of cash, adrenaline and high-tech weapons."

"Hell yeah!"

"Thanks Azula."

"You're not helping Azu." It was Hui who spoke this time, making her wince.

"Pfu, you're the one who's talking. You're looking at her stuff like you want to eat it."

"I don't."

"So you say while leaning over her workbench."

He sprung back at the mention of his position. Not so subtly walking away from the pile of junk and pieces that was on top of the bench.

Before he could respond or Azula could make another snarky comment though, Zhao brought the conversation back on track.

"Everyone shut up. Hui you were totally fawning and Azula stop that." The fact that they didn't even respond to that and simply obeyed described their relation pretty well. As she was thinking, sergeant material.

"Yes, this conversation was going nowhere."

"Okay, Inquisitor... Kali, is that right?"

"Yes." From then on, it was mostly her and Zhao who talked.

"It's true that you aren't hurting Lilith or holding her here. Also, apparently the crazy story you have told her is true, for now. I still don't know if all of this stuff about a space empire of hell is true but you certainly have some weird power. If you offer jobs as well, I guess we'll trust you for now."

"Great." '_Not that he had any choice anyway, but still, it's nice to have people trusting you. Even if it's totally naive of him._'

"So, what do you offer exactly?"

"I need watchers. People who know the tunnels and passages under the city like the back of their hand and can report to me anything of interest."

"Like what? The Equalists?"

"More like eviscerated bodies, people with weird mutations or powers, places that suddenly got blocked off. These kinds of things."

"You know, it's not really common around here, those kinds of things." He visibly struggled a little with the idea of eviscerated bodies and mutation.

"For now, but I feel they will soon become."

That line of thought was based on Kali's speculation that her arrival might have created a small crack in the protection of the planet and the Warp storm. She had already sensed many weaknesses on the ward of the planet, though without any references from before her arrival she couldn't precisely tell if it was a normal state of the barrier or had been caused by her. Also, this world seems to have had a pretty low and disparate population for a very long time with only one or two cities having more than 100 000 inhabitants and their industrial revolution being less than a hundred years old. The sudden increase of human minds could have had an eroding effect on the Ward and began to attract daemons. Of course, there was no way to be sure of that before the problems start arising so the only thing she could do for now was to wait and watch for the corpses to start piling up.

"That's all?" There was a mix of disappointment and relief in his voice.

"For now, yes. Depending on how the situation evolves from now and if you survive long enough and keep some part of your sanity, well, then we will find something else."

"Okay. How much do you pay?"

"The equivalent of a factory worker's salary with a bonus if you find anything."

"That's a lot for simple surveillance."

"I also want a full map of the Underground, a description of the criminal network, the main refugee groups, their leaders, the police presence and anything even remotely interesting."

"Oh, that's a lot more than surveillance."

"For now, yes. Is there anything else you want to discuss because if not, I have other matters to attend to."

"No, it's okay."

"Then, we have a deal." She extended her hand and he shook it.

"Yeah."

"Perfect." She reached into her coat pocket, extracting the exact amount of yuans equivalent to three workers monthly salary before throwing them at her new employees. They all reacted in their own way, Zhao simply looked at the papers before putting them in his pocket, Hui counted it in silence and then pocketed it, finally, Azula started to play with them with an: "Oh yeah, money" and shoved it in her bra.

"See you soon with results." Kali steped out of the door path.

They all left soon after that, Azula being the only one leaving only a slightly upset Lilith and a content Inquisitor behind.

"You got my knife?" Kali said as she was looking at her workbench. She had hidden all of the important weapons or technology she had and the various pieces on the wooden surface were useless to anyone not already knowing what to do with them but better be safe.

"Yeah, I got your freaky knife."

She rose from the sofa and violently dropped it on the bench.

"Hum, my great powers tell me you are upset. Why?"

"Why don't I get paid?"

Kali was taken aback for a second.

"You want money?"

"No! Well, yes. But no. I just, why they get paid and not me."

"Because I am training you. You aren't working for me in any way or helping at all, in fact you are a drain of resources and time. That's why you aren't getting any money."

It calmed her a little.

"Once your training is over, we will discuss about you getting money. But, for now, if you want something, just ask. Okay."

"Okay."

"Great, now get prepared."

"Huh?"

"This morning I got a letter. You, as my sister, and I are invited to the pro-bending match of tonight. A gift from Asami Sato."

"Really?"

"Yes. Seriously you should know by now that I don't lie about things like that. Now, again, get prepared. And, by the way, all this time we are losing on your training will not be forgotten."

"Oww, damnit."

* * *

The pro-bending stadium had some charm, Kali could give it that. In fact, it reminded her of some small Imperial Governor's palace she had visited long ago. The fact that she had put a bullet through the aforementioned Governor's head removed nothing from the memory. Built on a stilt base which was itself standing on small peninsula, the large building was connected to the city by a narrow path. Meaning that it was probably built before the popularization of the Satomobile, unless having to walk half a mile on an open-top wooden bridge was one of the traditions of this sport. Four towers, one at each corner, and a large rectangular structure of rooms, pathways, gyms and other things needed to run such a building were surrounding the proper stadium and the building on itself was lit up by powerful spotlights that, combined with the yellow painted wall, gave the illusion the outside was made of pure gold. Even more impressive, the massive circular arena had an immense glass roof with no visible supports, even if it was a little pointless when at night since there was no light to let in and the lights inside hid the sky, overlooking the playing field and the spectator's benches below. To enter this massive stadium, one had to pass through a ten meters high entrance with large golden doors bearing the symbols of pro-bending, then, from there, navigate your way through a labyrinth of small passages, stairs, private lodges and spectator seats. That was the end of the easy part. God-Emperor help you if you want to go grab a snack between the matches or go to the bathroom or exit quickly or find a particular room. In the end though, even if Kali had discovered these details way before actually coming to the building by simply, that alone upset her greatly, acquiring the public blueprint of the structure, it had been far from easy to find Asami's lodge. Hell, even entering the damn thing had been a problem.

* * *

Kali felt the powerful energy of the crowd the moment they crossed the large gate's threshold as a massive wave of emotions brushed over her mind protections. At her side, Lilith felt it too, but, unaccustomed to the psychic effect of a large concentration of overexcited human minds, many even being low-end psykers, reacted much more violently. She dropped on her knees, holding her head between her hands and struggling to understand why there was a siren blasting from inside her skull while at the same time trying to hold the contents of her stomach in.

"UGGHAARGH! What's happening!"

Kali bent down, putting her hand on Lilith's shoulder.

"Calm down Lilith. Simply breathe deep and remember what I taught you."

For a second, the aspirant psyker wanted to punch the Inquisitor. '_Seriously? Breathe down and remember your training, what a load of bullshit._' Fortunately, it was only a brief thought that flashed through her before she began to raise a barrier around her mind. Slowly but surely, the feeling of her brain being crushed between two gold ingots faded away.

"Better?"

"Yeah."

Lilith picked herself up, still feeling a slight pressure against her mind but otherwise fine.

"What was that?"

"You letting your guard down." As they were progressing through the maze of stairs, Kali slapped the back of her apprentice's head. "I told you to keep your protection up at all time. What would you have done if someone had tried to attack you? If a demon had try?"

She gulped. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Just make sure it doesn't happen anymore."

"It never did before." True, she had never been able to hear so many mind before. Yes, she had, involuntarily, read the thoughts of a man and of a couple of others, but it had always been in moments of extreme calm. There, it was as if thousands of voices had started screaming inside her skull, each burying the other and creating a maddening echo that sunk her brain and made any thoughts impossible.

"That's no reason. The point of training is to prepare yourself for things you have never experienced before."

"Sorry."

"I already said I don't care. If you're brain starts to boil, it will be too late for excuses." The Inquisitor sighed. "At least today was a good warning for you." She stated before producing a small white tissue from one of her coat pockets. "Here, take this for your nose."

"My nose?" Lilith's hand reflexively moved up to her face, staining her pair of new leather gloves with a crimson liquid. "What?" Quickly, she grabbed the handkerchief and used it to stop the bleeding.

"Minor side effect. Don't worry about it, unless it becomes non-stop or happens to those around you in a couple of tens of meters."

"Hum, thanks."

"No problem. You remember your role for tonight?"

"Yeah, yeah, why do we need to do that rather than simply telling the truth again?"

"You mean telling her about demons? Or maybe about me or the Imperium which I have only meagre proof of, like the Chaos in fact."

"You could use your powers."

"You almost broke down from seeing one mental image of a daemon; I doubt a highborn like her would react any better."

"I was talking about mind control or something like that."

"Possible, but she has a strong mind, enough so that she would almost certainly notice any deep probing and react the same way you did. Do you want to hold her as I do it?"

"No, no, it's gonna be okay."

"Perfect. Remember, it's also a part of your training."

"Yes, yes, ready."

And with that they entered the reserved VIP seats of Asami Sato.

For Asami, her encounter with the mysterious woman, Kali, had been a welcomed one. Usually, the life of the daughter of one of the richest industrialists of Republic City was one of refined glamor, numerous suitors, formal events, money, motived backstabbing, deceiving friends, honeyed lies and boredom. One of the reasons why she liked the Moonsoon was that nobody important ever went there. So, when she found the black obsessed woman bathing and could not recognize her, she though that, maybe, it would be a somewhat normal conversation not involving any manipulations. Also, she had really interesting hair, red hair in fact; and she had never seen anyone with that before. The conversation had started and, well, at first, she thought she was a little stupid, damn, she knew almost nothing of the city, of Future Industries, of the world, and even her vocabulary was a little limited. But, despite that, the look in her weird eyes, the way she spoke, her attitude. It all attested to a sharp intelligence. Then, strangely, the more and more they were talking, the more and more her speech improved. A word she had difficulty understanding, a minute later she could use near perfectly. The weirdness didn't stopped there for if all of her questions seemed innocent at first, after the fact Asami had realized she had revealed far more than she had intended to. She just couldn't explain why. In the end though, all of that was eclipsed by her arm. A freaking metal arm. Not just a simple piece of metal, no, an arm that replicated every movement with a level of precision equal or even, maybe, she had almost turned crazy thinking about it, surpassing those of a real arm.

Now, she was well intended into using some of the many skills she had learned from her father and previous betrayals to learn everything she could from this walking mystery. Seriously, nobody knew anything about her and even less about her arm. It could have been a secret, but the attitude of the girl didn't really point to that. More that she seemed surprised that Asami didn't know of it and had teased her with the knowledge. It would be a long shot, but tonight would be the begining of her learning all of her secrets. As for the fact there was also a pro-bending match tonight. Well, no problem with mixing business and pleasure a little after all.

She heard the door being opened, rose from her chair and, '_shit_', black obsessed might have been an understatement after all. Kali was filling the door almost in its entirety, blocking the light and framing her in shadows. Yet, the spots from the stadium revealed her and her outfit in all of their strange grandeur. She was wearing a pair of heavy leather black boots that reached the knees, with steel toes which had double headed bird engraved into them and a menacing white skull at the knee with a gold letter I incrusted atop it. Her pants were also in the same shades of black but were partially covered by a large red sash and a strong belt from which her sword hanged as well as a strange object that reminded Asami of a small hairdryer and was positioned in front of her left leg. Aligned on the belt were small lead cones with more even skulls carved into them. On her torso, she was wearing a coal corset that looked strong enough to act as armor over a deep red shirt. The cuff were large, covering around half of her forearm and the leather protection she also had under it, with sleeve buttons in the form of even more ominous silver skulls. As well, the leather protection had decoration in the form of ruby runes surrounding a big steel I. Then, cladding all of her outfit was an intimidating black leather coat, or at least she though it was leather, which had all of its buttons in the form of black skulls with embedded red jewels as eyes, golden Aquilas on the wrist and a large one around the collar whose wing tip acted as the coat's highest straps. Both of her hands were covered with dark red gloves that had heavy steel stylish skulls at the knuckles and small Aquila on the back of it. Around her right finger was a small ring in the form of an onyx skull with red eyes while hanging on her chest was a medallion in the form, again, of the mysterious I and skull, all in gold and ivory. Finally, she had a dark brown wide-brimmed hat with the skull and I motif in onyx and gold pinned at the front. In short, her outfit could be described with one word: grim.

That was already a shock in itself, especially when one is more accustomed to the comparatively plane Republic City clothing style. Then, Kali stepped in and revealed the person accompanying her, her sister. She also wore boots but in a more simple style in that they only came up to a little over half of her legs and was of a simply sombre green rather than black. Her pants were also of a simple brown, though the tissue was solid and of high quality. Her top on the other hand. It looked a lot like a military vest but it opened in the front in two flaps that went down to her knees. Deep black with golden buttons in the form of square crosses, the piece of clothing gave away a feeling of sturdiness and discipline while staying kinda sombre. 'Kinda' because the collar and cuff still had the menacing skulls. Like Kali, she also covered her hand with vermilion gloves. She too was also wearing a belt holding a weapon, a large dented knife it looked like, but was lacking the hat of her older sister. In the end, it looked like a simpler version of what Kali was wearing but retained a menacing look.

This sudden double apparition left her agasp, so much in fact that she had to force her mouth to close and shook herself out of her shocked state. That's when she realized that Kali's hand was hanging in front of her.

"Oh, eh... hi." Quickly, she raised hers and shook Kali's.

"Hi." Kali's iron grip, quite literally, clenched around Asami's lightly gloved hand.

"Nice clothing."

"Thanks, I was afraid it was too simple for the occasion."

Asami laughed at the joke, before realising that it wasn't one.

"Oh, well, no, it is quite sufficient." '_Look more complicate than the earth queen robes. But then, she hasn't a tent of Kali presence._"

"Good. Now, let me present you my sister, Shino."

The girl in the military clothing stepped up and Asami already felt a difference. Where Kali was a tall fire hair savage kind of beauty with a green gaze strong enough to melt steel, her sister had a more childish look with her short and unkept dark hair, a wide smile and eager deep black eyes. A first impression that clashed with the sharp line of her face, her thin body and the tiredness she could see behind her eyes. These two were definitely a strange duo, and more important, way more interesting than the usual fake admirer. But there was a little thing that bothered her.

"You know, you don't really look like sisters"

"Yeah, people say that often." Kali's voice came from behind Asami, as the Inquisitor had moved toward the VIP balcony guard-rail.

"It's because my parents adopted her." Shino answered.

"Really?"

"Yes, it's because you were so insupportable that they needed a big sister to kick your ass." Asami could hear amusement in Kali's voice.

"Hey, that's so not true!"

"You bet it is."

Shino's replies, which would have certainly been great if one had heard it, was drowned out under the cheer of the crowd. Immediately, Asami and Shino both rushed to Kali's side, looking intensely at the highly lit up arena. The two exited girl suddenly were inebriated with excitation.

"It's starting!"

All the spots were now focused on the playfield and the micro wielding annunciator who had just rose from the ground on a platform in the middle of the arena.

"Introducing the Fire-Ferrets!"

His words rang throughout the stadium, gaining even more energy as it mixed with the cheer of the crowd. At the rightmost end of the ring, a light shined on three men wearing red protection over a beige uniform and waving weakly at the spectators.

"And their adversaries, the Golden Temple Tigerdillos!"

As for the first team but on the other side of the playfield, three other men dresses in shades of brown uniforms appeared and made their way to the middle of the ring.

Asami had been following the first team since their beginning, her admiration of them only grew with each of their victories.

"Who are they?"

Her head twisted toward the young Shino.

"You don't know them?"

"Not really. I only ever have heard pro-bending at the radio and not regularly."

"Oh, so you aren't from Republic City?"

It took her a weird second to answer with a slight twitch.

"No, I was born in the Fire nation."

'_Sure seems like their style idea._' "Okay, then, the red ones are the most recent team, they have had a streak of hard won victories against every team they faced. Those fighting them come from Tu Zin and are a really strong pro-bender team."

The radio broadcaster began to describe the match both for the present spectators and the many radio listeners throughout the world.

"The rookie ferrets came from out of nowhere and made it further than anyone could expect this season, but tonight, they face their toughest test yet folks."

"Told you."

"And they're off!" The announcer shouted.

Kali watched the match unravelling under her and the expression of both Asami and Lilith becoming more and more frantic and excited. It reminded her of the trance some people entered during gladiator matches she had had the enjoyment of watching, without the blood lust, simple lust and death that is. Though, gladiators die way less often than people expect, the point is to make a spectacle not simple murder after all. But back to the pro-bending. The two teams were giving all they had, with a clear advantage for the Golden Temple Tigerdillos. Using stone disks, water or fire, they were trying to push their opponents back or, with luck, throw them out of the ring under the vocal cheer of the crowd. For Kali, it was a really good occasion to learn more about the way their 'bending' worked. First thing, if concentrated, they could throw many attacks in a rapid succession, as fast as they could punch for the firebender, kick for the waterbender and a combination of both for the earthbender. It was impressive, the speed at least, the power, less so. The disks shattered into dust at the merest impact, though that could be because of their use as sport equipment but then apart from clay maybe she had never seen anything as fragile. The water moved by the bender also lacked speed and density, making being hit by it more or less the equivalent of receiving a hard push. As for fire, she had had hope about it. The rules forbid them to use continuous blasts, but convection and a higher enough temperature could probably set the opponent's clothes on fire. That was the scientific approach. In reality, a fire bolt from a firebender was apparently on the same danger level as a really good punch and not much more dangerous for the skin. Disappointing. Of course, she understood that these were game techniques, not military ones, but it was still a little, well, she had difficulty understanding why everyone was so afraid of people that could have been taken out with only two or four archers working together. Hell, in this city, a simple knife stab from behind and they were down

.

Lilith watched the match with a gleeful joy. As she had said, the only official pro-bending she had 'watched' was on the radio. On the other hand, she had watched lots of unofficial pro-bending, which kinda lacked rules of almost any sort. The rocks used in the underground were broken down cement, ice spikes where considered fair and it wasn't rare for a player to end a match a hair short of being crippled. Good thing the medical services of Republic City were so advanced and free, mostly.

Back to the ring, two members of the red team had just been pushed back a zone.

"Ouch. That's not gonna be easy to recover from." Asami commented.

"Can he make it?" She questioned Asami.

"If he's lucky."

The moment these words had left her mouth, the third member of the red team took a disk to the chest and was thrown back.

"Apparently he's not."

Almost as quickly, the waterbender of the Fire-Ferrets was pushed back over the edge and fell in the water. Fortunately, the two benders left, apparently brothers if the commentator was right, managed to hold on until the end of the round.

Asami used the one minute pause between the rounds to start questioning Kali, turning toward her.

"So, how is your stay in Republic City?"

"Great for now."

"Good. Hey, would you like me to give you a formal tour of the city, you could come visit my father's factory when you have some time?" '_Associate yourself with a exciting even so people remember you in good._**'**

"Sure, why not." '_Not that exciting by my standard, sorry._'

Below, the second round began, signalled by the powerful roar of the crowd. Instantly, Asami's sight switched to the ring. The match began brutally, the entirety of the red team being pushed one zone back mere seconds after the bell.

"Come on. Go Fire-Ferrets!"

As if they had heard the young heiress, the team began to pound the Golden Temple Tigerdillos. They were tough though and it took many hits and effort to send them back through the zones and win the round.

"Yeah, Fire-Ferrets!" Asami whistled before turning toward the towering figure of Kali.

"You saw that?" Her excited smile vanished when she saw that she wasn't looking at the arena at all but at the player's room.

"Hey, you okay?" Asami asked.

"Yes. Simply looking at her."

"Huh?"

Asami, intrigued, focused to where Kali was looking. Leaning against the rail of the player room was apparently a watertribe girl cheering for the Fire-Ferrets.

"What's with her?" Asami questioned. '_The girlfriend of one of the players maybe?._'

"Simply wondering what would happen if she was to play." Kali responded.

"What do you mean? Is she a pro-bender?"

"Oh." Kali chuckled. "No, I fairly doubt it. More trouble than anything. But if you get the chance, I suggest talking to her."

Asami shrugged and refocused on her interlocutor. '_I can deal with weird._'

"You know what, maybe you should invite Magos? I'm sure he would like to see my father manufactory since he seems to be into enginery."

'_He would probably laugh at you before burning your factory down and rebuilt it a hundred times bigger._' "Unfortunately, he is too far away for that."

"Really, where?"

Kali grinned and Shino answered with an exaggerated hand motion. "Spaaccce!"

"Real funny, but seriously?"

"Seriously... I don't know and I have no way of contacting him. Also, two things. Magos is a title and he will be no easier to extract info from than it would be from me."

The bell rang again before Asami could answer and the combined cheering of the spectators and the almost constant observation of the radio broadcaster made continuing the conversation impossible.

"Asouk tumbles, and now he stumbled into his teammate, he and Bolin better untangle quick if they don't want to ooh, too late."

And with that, two third of the Fire-Ferrets were thrown into the water some ten meters down. Kali wondered how many had seen their injuries aggravated by a fall directly into hard water before asking herself if they could even link the two. It was mostly a stupid reflexion and she knew it but it did not stop her from thinking about it. Asami and Lilith, they, were still totally focused on the lone fighting firebender of the Fire-Ferrets who was struggling to win, or was it simply staying alive. They followed each of his movements with passion, cheering as he dodged the barrage of attacks thrown against him with an equal mixture of luck and skills before roaring with the crowd every time one of his blow landed and he sent one of his opponents back and into the water.

"It's a knockout! What a wing-dinger of a hat trick, folks! Mako pulls off the upset of the season, winning the match for the Fire-Ferrets!"

The two girls at Kali's right exploded in screams of joy, victory motions and other things that the victor's supporters are allowed to do. For her part, the Inquisitor contented herself with a light hand clapping.

Feeling slightly exhausted, Asami and Shino fell back on their seats; they had spent almost the entire match standing.

"What a match!" Asami exclaimed.

"Yeah. What now?" Shino asked.

"Oh, it's over for tonight." Asami responded.

"Really?" Lilith or Shino as she was currently known was a little puzzled, underground matches usually lasted around half an hour.

"Waow, and how much did it cost us?"

"Five thousand yuans per VIP seat."

'_Shit!_' As enjoyable as the stadium matches were, Lilith now knew she probably enjoyed the illegal one way more.

"Tell me, do you have bionics like your sister?"

"No, she doesn't." Kali joined the conversation. "And she doesn't know anything about them so stop trying to extract information from her."

"I wasn't trying." '_Not hard anyway._'

"Come on, give me some credit." Kali's cat smile cut Asami's protest short. "Furthermore, I intend to give you something else tonight."

Now that was interesting. "Oh really, and what would that be?"

Kali extracted rolled sheets from her coat and passed them to the young woman. These were the technical plans of a low-medium performance engine Kali had saved on Solomon's cogitator. In fact, she had saved almost any Imperial blueprint she had come across inside his mind. When she started reading and realised she had the schematics of an engine between her hands, Asami smiled slightly. Then, when she actually began to read the details like power output and fuel consumption, her smile vanished under a blank mask. The engines used by her father's company were simple enough to make, cost effective and efficient. If anyone had brought her plans to say, improve its performance while keeping it the same size or would have improved the fuel consumption by say, 10%, she would have smiled, laugh and hired the person on the spot. The plan Kali had handed her gave the details of an engine that could have been built by someone under a mountain with a pile of scraps, could run on almost anything from gasoline to alcohol passing by cooking oils with a consumption ration and had a power output superior to anything she had ever seen. In fact, she could say that around 90% of the engine propriety had not been imagined by anyone else other than fiction authors and yet, all the details on paper made perfect sense. There was no doubt possible that she was holding the plans of the best engine she had ever seen.

"Interested?" Kali was a little worried, Asami's mind had suddenly went hyper-focused and had blocked any thought. Combined with her lack of expression, it made the Inquisitor worried she would have to offer more. Maybe VTOL or a nuclear power pant would do.

"Kali?"

"Yes?"

"If someone ever comes to you and offered you money to go work with them. Come to me and I will quadruple it, okay."

"I sense you want to hire me."

"Whatever you want." Negotiations be damned, this girl was going to work for her even if it costed her everything.

"It's gonna cost you a lot."

"Not relevant."

"I'm going to need you to restore a complete factory."

"Consider it done."

"Loads of materials."

"Done."

"No questions."

"No problem."

"Murders may happen. Lots of them."

Asami stopped for a second. "Who?"

"Nightmares and daemons"

She looked at Kali's face, the hatred in her voice, the seriousness in her eyes and the absolute confidence that what she was doing was right. There was no humour in her at this instant. She was absolutely serious and, at this instant, Asami was completely convinced that she was telling the truth, no matter how stupid it sounded.

"Okay."

Kali's hand extended and shook Asami's own.

"We're gonna go far together." '_Though I doubt you will like where it's gonna end. _'


	4. First Encounter

Hi. Now, this chapter is a little weird on the begining and has some world building that may not sit well with some. There is also some lack of interaction with the canon characters but there will be much more next chapter, sorry. Hope you'll enjoy. Also, I finally got my first negative review, even if I didn't understand it.

edboy4926: About the Lion turtle, the gift of power from a immortal and strange being look suspiciously like a Dark pact.

Korra: Look, a Lion turtle.  
Kali: Look, a portable nuke.  
Kaboom.

Same thing for the giant Dark Avatar. Vaatu said he existed ten thousand years before humans. In the Taoist philosophy, ten thousand things is used to describe a really large number but does not necessarily mean ten thousand things, so I doupt his claim is literal. Even so, humanity's calendar began forty thousand years ago and considering that demons are immortal being that live in the Warp, Vaatu and Raava would be kinda young. As for knowing of the Warp, they pretty much live in it, one isolated version of it at least. ;) About Wan, as much as a like the character and his history, he would have been the shortest and most scrawny of the Primarchs, at 8.5 feet tall, Alpharius was the shortest but he still was half a foot higher than a standard space marine. Also, Wan would probably have been considered a failure for not having been capable of uniting the planet and having been voluntary possessed. So, unfortunately, no, he wasn't one of the lost Primarch and... for now. Finally, human can withstand having demon/spirit inside them, it's simply that it burn up the host body extremely quickly. Which is probably why Korra can't simply pass her days in the Avatar form, her body would fell.

Evowizard25: Yes, yes they totally would.

DeathAdder47117: First, thanks for the proofreading, as usual. Now, Kali's armor would probably weaken her attacks, but not Korra herself. In avatar, same thing plus Korra probably wouldn't be able to touch her without feeling pain.

_**High** **Gothic**_

**Low Gothic  
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_Thought_

Still really open to review and I hope you have a great time reading.

* * *

**Thought for the Day**:Educate men without faith and you but make them clever devils.

Inquisitor Kali reflection: And then it's my job to make all of them dead devils.

* * *

**Planet: Unknown / Sector: Unknown / 9 246 955. M41 - Republic City / 170 AG /Year of the Horse**

The next two weeks were some of the weirdest, most expensive and amazing Asami had lived. Weird because, apparently, Kali's idea about the renovation of a factory seemed to include the creation of entirely new materials, the order of hyper specialized equipment, the carving of statues, and not simple ones, more like a three meter tall skeletal man covered in dark robes with a two headed eagle pendant the size of her leg, holding a heavy book between his hands and standing menacingly over the factory machinery and, well, anyone walking inside. Expensive, because when Kali had talked about renovating the factory, Asami had not understood that it also included everything underneath the said factory. Cleaning up the tunnels and room of the underground could have been an easy task, but Kali's idea on the long run apparently involved less ménage and more armor plating. There was also the fact that a lot of the materials required by Kali were not exactly common and she requested a lot of them. Some didn't even exist but, when she told her, Kali simply mumbled something about 'synthesizing' and gave her another list of products. Then, there was the salary for all the employees she had hired to repurpose the factory into what seemed to be a third foundry, a third assembly line and a third sewing factory... on multiple floors. Added to that was the enormous amount of simple raw money she had transferred into her private account. Weird because even with all it had costed Asami of her own money, it was nothing compared to how much they were going to make thanks to the blueprint she had technically sold them and also because it had been a week of astonishing demonstration of technological knowledge. Kali had not given her anything else directly per say, but she had seen glimpses of plans and formulas that made stealing a really tempting idea if it was no for the fact stealing from Kali was simply another word for suicide. Too bad all of it was written in some sort of language she had never seen, even after having researched the entirety of the City Library. In the meantime, she helped her repurpose the current machinery inside the manufactory and create new ones. They weren't a complete revolution in themselves, only half of one, but they had a design she had never seen before. Honestly, they were pretty ugly with their boxy style, rugged edges, wires coming out of them and the constant noise they were doing. Still, the skulls and prayers carved into them, yes prayers were apparently needed to make these things work, gave them a certain edge. As for the prayers and incense, sounded dumb to her but when she told Kali, well, let's just say she kept her opinion for herself now. Finally, her knowledge on things she had never thought about was, frankly, odd and a little frightening when she thought about it. That's what occupied most of their two weeks.

* * *

Kali's weeks had been exhausting. It began with the quick concealing of the three Triad thugs who had begun to rot in the back without alerting Asami with a flash inferno. Then, she had had to draw the new plans for the factory, hire competent workers, deal with the delivery of raw materials, built a lab meeting her requirements, start the production of the template she was going to use once the factory was operational, began the retranscription of the book she was going to need later, enter in contact with a clothing company, arrange for the delivery of the more volatile products she needed in sufficient quantity, continue Lilith's training, deepen her knowledge of this world and a thousand other things. But then, she had learned of the way Republic City creates their electricity from Asami. This event had had the same effect as an axe strike to her moral and her energy. The conversation had gone a little like:

Kali slammed open the door to the old director's office near the floor of the factory.

"What the fuck is this?!" She was waving a large bill she had just received.

"The wha... can I see?" Asami raised her head from the blueprint the Inquisitor had drawn for the new factory. She grabbed the papers, the electrical bill estimate for the building.

"I don't see the problem. Do you worry about the cost?"

"It's not the cost I care about; it's the ratio of price/voltage. I've seen places where they used coal furnaces with a better one damnit."

"Coal furnaces? How do you make electricity with coal?" Asami was a little puzzled by Kali's statement.

"Heat, water, turbines, and magnets. How do you make electricity around here?"

"With benders capable of generating lightning."

There was a moment of silence as Kali's mind processed the information. When it did, she felt as if a lead coat had fallen on her shoulders. She dropped on the ground, her back against the wall, holding her head between her hands and letting go of a desperated sigh.

"Kali, are you okay?" Asami's concerned voice rang inside Kali's brain.

"Yes, yes, simply a little tired." 'And also amazed, in a bad way.'

"Okay. Can you be a little more precise?"

"Asami, do you know what lightning is?"

"Well, it's... it's electricity going from one point to another." '_Where was she going with all of this?_'

"Basic, but yes. And how does it happen?"

"You need to build up tension at one place, have a low one at your intended target and a good enough insulator between them to let the tension build up. Then, when the tension at one point becomes higher than the insulator's resistance, a reaction happens so as to restore an electrical balance." That was, in fact, almost all Asami knew about lightning and her knowledge of electricity wasn't a lot more. These were scientific fields still in their infancy about a subject she barely understood after all. She was a better mechanist than a scientist.

"Good. How do they, in detail please, generate the lightning they use?"

"The benders stand a little away from the generator and shoot lightning at a receiver."

"Through the air?"

"... Yes." Asami had a flash, suddenly understanding were Kali was going with all those questions.

"Oh, by the look on your face, I think you just got it, right?"

"I think yes. A great part of the energy of the lightning is exhausted in the building up of a tension high enough to pass the air resistance. Furthermore, a short lightning indicates a low energy transfer, even with multiple lightning bolts; they still need to build up the tension again from scratch."

"Not even mentioning the thousand other problems." '_By the Omnissiah, if I learn that they are still using direct current I will kill someone._'

"Yes. Listen, I know that this isn't a really efficient way..."

"More like the worst I have ever seen."

"But there isn't really any other efficient way to generate electricity." As she was speaking those words, Asami knew that it wasn't entirely the truth. There was a reason for Kali's disguised criticisms and it could only mean another technological revolution.

"Seeing as they aren't even generating true lightning to begin with, I will contest that idea."

"What?" That wasn't the revelation she was expecting.

"You described the condition for lightning to happen not a minute ago and the lightning generated by benders follows almost none of those rules. They actually direct their lightning toward targets of their choice, which would require the said target to get a lower tension, lower than anything in the lightning's path. They don't do that, they actually throw energy taking the form of lightning."

"How could you know that?"

"How could you not know that? And don't bother with the human electrical current, contrary to what some people think we are not good batteries. At all."

Asami sat silent, the gears in her mind spinning furiously. What Kali was saying was going against century of teaching, yet, it made sense. And not in the 'yeah looks right' sense but in a cold scientifical one. It wasn't as if she had really ever reflected on the lightning generated by the firebenders before, but being with Kali made her question a lot of things she hadn't even had second thoughts about before it seems. Firebenders always say they use their Chi to manifest there fire, so there isn't any reason for it to be different when manifesting lightning. Still something was bothering her in her word choice.

"What do you mean by energy 'taking' the form of lightning?"

"Isn't it obvious? Most benders don't manipulate elements; they manipulate energy, their own apparently." '_Or the Warp's energy most probably._' "Look at the firebender's strike, they look like they're throwing fire, but their flames are barely hot enough to boil water. '_Convection Schmonvection._' They still follow some rules of physics though, like burning oxygen, which lead me to think they use their 'Chi' as fuel and as a trigger for the combustion. Now, if those rules are followed because of the bender's own mental barriers or not, this is still an ongoing research."

"Ongoing re..?"

"Anyhow, as for the lightning, I believe that they simply generate a more pure version of the energy they use to manifest their fire and project it at the enemy. The energy of this person, when interacting with the one of the target, causes damage more or less similar to the effect of lightning."

"What about the other elements? And what do you mean by 'mental barriers'?" Asami was clearly needing more explanations to be convinced.

"First, the other elements. Airbending, I mean, come on, air is a common name for a mix of gas. It's like saying one can bend a mix of nitrogen, oxygen and around 1% other elements. The atomic kind I mean. Waterbending also has the same problem. Water, kinda scientifically speaking, is a lot of H2O grouped together. In nature, well, water mostly means H2O mixed with a lot of stuff and since I don't believe this wor... that the waterbenders have had the means to make pure water for long nor have they been using it since the beginning. Lastly, as the two previous ones, earth is not a real thing. Because, seriously, if we were to list every single element found in the chunk of rocks they throw around, we would still be here in a month."

"So, your theory is?"

"Telekinesis. That would explain most of their powers as well as the kinetic force felt by those on the receiving end of those attacks." '_That they waste a part of this energy moving water/air/earth around, now that is something I don't understand._'

"Well, you're theory sure seems to make a lot of sense. But wouldn't someone have discovered that by now?"

Kali had a faint smile. "I'm gonna assume that there is not a lot of benders interested in reflection about the nature of their powers"

"It's true that most benders don't seem to bother a lot about this aspect."

"No wonder then. When you are taught to feel the energy inside you, to feel the element and not much else, then you don't stop to think about it a lot."

"That still doesn't explain the 'mental barriers' you talked about, or why only the avatar can bend all of the elements."

"Ah, yes. Actually, those two points are in fact one, depending on the theory. My first theory is the 'Exterior' one. Meaning that an external force influences the benders, limiting them to the manipulation of their powers to certain things falling under the fuzzy old definition of an element." '_Meaning that something else might actually controls or gave them their powers_' "My second theory is the 'Internal' one. Due to their upbringing and education, the benders develop mental blocks that limit their capability to one of the old spiritual elements. Now, the first theory is the one explaining the best on why there aren't any more avatars running around or people capable of bending two or more elements. On the other hand, the second better explains the development of sub-bending like healing, metalbending and lightning generation."

Asami stayed silent; slowly processing the mountain of information she had just been fed. Kali's intelligence was, in its own way, terrifying. She had coldly analysed, desiccated and categorized bending, a spiritual art, simply to demonstrate a point. That was dangerous; especially considering she didn't even seem to have put any great effort in her reflection. But she needed more time to think about it, better to redirect the conversation. When she spoke again, five minutes had passed.

"But how does all of that have any relation with the electricity problem?"

"Almost none. I simply got off track." Kali simply stood up and stretched her arms. "Now, I'm gonna need some materials. I'll give you a list shortly. And don't bother connecting the factory to the grid; I'll only need a couple of batteries."

"For what?" Now that was interesting. And way less dangerous than bending theories.

"With any luck, you'll see around next week."

And with that, she left the room.

"Damnit."

The next two weeks, Kali built exactly three things. A cogitator, a superconductor and an alternator. The first one would have probably taken a month if she hadn't already had Solomon's cogitator as model and the plan for one inside his artificial brain. For the second part, she had to wait both for the cogitator and for the materials she had requested from Asami, but once she had both it was a piece of cake. Third, the alternator which required meters upon meters of wires and loads of insulating materials. The result of the assemblage of these components: an electrical generator that generated around triple the amount of energy the Republic City power plant was putting out. The making of all of this from, almost, scratch could have been a real exploit in other situations, but, it was Imperial machinery and anyone familiar with Imperial technology could say three things about it: It was ugly, it was, mind bogglingly so, possible to build from, honestly, the content of a scrap yard and was amazingly reliable. Of course, there were a few more variables helping her, like the already high technical skills of Kali, Asami's talent, the schematic in Solomon's mind, Future Industries resources and the fact that she had used her psychic powers to stay awake for days in a row while staying at full capacity. The moment she would release her concentration she would fall to the ground in a state close to a coma, but hey, better that than be dependent on a greedy and incompetent company. Considering the typical Imperial company, that was saying something. Anyway, at least Asami was pretty impressed.

* * *

Kali flipped on the last switch on the large control panel, bringing the humongous machine to life. A powerful but low roar filled the factory as the machine began to rumble and generate power, with a slight sizzle, the lights and electrical machineries inside the manufactory were powered up. Asami, at the right of Kali, let go of an impressed whistle as she was sizing the large three by five meters wide and ten meters high machine.

"So, how much power?"

Kali's answers got another whistle out of her. If this chain of technological revolutions was to continue any longer, she would probably run out of them before long.

"You know, Future Industry sure would profit off a..."

"Don't even think about it. This thing will barely be able to power up the factory."

Asami raised an eyebrow. "You could generate five times enough electricity for the City. I don't think you need that much energy."

"For now." Kali's smile made Asami twitch. "But as soon as this one becomes insufficient, you can have it. Deal?"

"Deal."

As they shook hands though, Kali began to laugh. Chuckle at first, but which soon transformed into a full blown maniac laughing that left Asami completely bewildered.

"Hey... Kali, are you okay?"

Suddenly, the laughing stopped and the Inquisitor's stone mask came back into place.

"Of course, why do you ask?" '_Shit,I really need to sleep before turning into a walking cliché._'

"... Okay. Nevermind." '_What? She's a mad genius now? Or was she from the beginning?_'

She swept her worries aside in favor of a thought that had bothered her since their second meeting came back to the forefront of her mind.

"Kali. You remember when you talked about murderi..."

"Kali, Jing calling about a emergency" Lilith's voice rang from the manager's office. Which was slowly being converted into a fortified machinegun emplacement, though nobody knew that right now.

"Coming." She began making her way up to the phone, the only one in the factory. Something else she was planning to fix soon. "Sorry Asami, we'll continue this conversation later." '_Fuck, I don't need something else now._'

An instant latter, she was holding the communicating device up to her ear. The metalbender's voice was slightly distorted, but even with the parasites she could tell the man was tense and panicked.

"What's the situation?"

"He...there's..."

"Yes?"

"I... I don't really know how to describe it."

Kali sighed. "Okay, I get it, where are you?"

The address wasn't that far, somewhere in the slums.

"Did you contact anyone else?"

"No, no, I was the closest one."

"Thank the Emperor."

"What?"

"I'm coming. Keep anyone else away."

"Understood."

She dropped the phone back on its support and swung on her feet toward the two other girls in the room.

"Hey Shino, wanna see a dead body?"

"What!?"

"Kali, did you kill someone?" Asami looked seriously concerned.

'_Come on, if I had killed someone, nobody would have ever found it._'

"Yes.'' Her eyes widened in horror. ''But not this one, if there is one. Jing didn't tell me what the problem was."

"Then why did you say that?" Lilith was visibly upset.

"Deduction by habit. People always die strangely in my line of work."

Lilith simply sighed while Asami took a half intrigued, half disgusted look. '_Someday, I'm really gonna need to know what your job is._'

"Anyway, Shino, get your things, we're going."

Before they could even make a movement though, Asami interjected. "I can drive you there."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I just got the first car equipped with your new engine." '_And new frame capable of supporting it._'

"Perfect. To the Asami mobile."

And with that, she was racing down the stairs toward the car parked in front of the factory, leaving two worried girls behind to follow her at a more pace rhythm.

"Shino, as Kali's sister, don't you think she..."

"...a little on the edge?"

"Yeah." The wild hair, deep pocked under her eyes and fixed look were pretty good signs.

"How long since she last slept?"

"I'm not sure, six, seven days maybe."

"Okay... how is she staying awake?"

"Mental power."

"Hum, impressive." '_Yeah, mental power or drugs?_'

They all sat inside the unique style black car with Asami behind the wheel, Kali at her right and both Lilith and Solomon on the backseat. The discovery of the flying animal/machine had been another hit at Asami's fragilized psyche, one she had strangely accepted really fast. She had mostly stopped obsessed with it mere existence and his red eye almost didn't freak her out now. Anyway, they quickly got on the move with the wind brushing against her face and Kali toying with the radio's buttons.

"Arg, don't you people have more than two music styles?"

"Kali, you sure you're in good enough condition to, well, go do whatever this Jing wants you to do?"

Shino's voice came from behind, a little muffled.

"Jing's a policeman."

"A metalbender? Okay, again, what does he want?"

"Music!"

Kali's sudden shout surprised the two other passengers, even making Asami do a little slip on the side that ended in a near miss with a delivery truck.

"Kali!"

"Music. Solomon, play the Ironheade mix.

Of course, Solomon didn't have any speakers to play the music that was stored in some remote part of the custom cogitator built inside his brain. He could, on the other hand, emit a signal on a frequency the radio inside Asami's car could pick up. And thus, the sound of electrical instruments suddenly blasted through the city streets. It stunned the two girls for a second, they had never heard anything like it before, hell, they couldn't even say what kind of instruments were used. One thing's for sure though, it was freaking energetic.

"What's that?" Lilith said over the music.

"**Skeleton On Your Shoulder by Coroner.**"

"I didn't understand a word of that."

"Not my problem."

Getting more out of her proved impossible as the Inquisitor lost herself in the electrizing sound, harmonizing her movements with the bass and focusing her mind on the song's power to stay awake a little longer.

They stopped in front of the decaying building, parking just beside the cop car that had already been defaced by red and green graffiti. Kali jumped out, immediately heading for the door and climbing the stairs toward the third floor without a sign of hesitation. That forced Asami and Lilith to almost run after her, leaving the still music blasting car behind.

'_I need to finish this quickly._'

At the end of the third floor hallway, Jing was waiting. Everything in his expression indicated tension, stress and fear. All the signs that something falling under Kali's interest had happened.

"Okay, I'm here now so what happened?"

"Uh, well, it's, uh, I think it's some sort of murder."

"Some sort of murder?"

"I... I."

"Okay, I get it."

She bypassed him and entered the apartment.

The room she stepped in was a mix between a kitchen and a dining room. The place must have been inhabited at some point but now there was a layer of dust covering everything. The wooden walls were in an advanced rotten state, the same as most of the broken furniture, she could see small insects running away and fat flies slowly buzzing through the windows that were now nothing but empty frames. In short, the place was either a decrepit wreck that needed to be demolished or a typical imperial high Low-Hive room, depending on your background. But that wasn't really interesting now was it. On the floor, Kali could clearly see footprints and a long trailing mark indicating someone had been dragged across the floor to the apartment's only room. The scratch and blood stain on the floor and door frame didn't let any illusion to Kali about what had happened.

And that was when the two other girls caught up to her.

"Kali, please, wait up."

They tried to enter the place but got blocked by a concerned Jing.

"Woaw, slow down you two. You have nothing to do inside."

"Sir, I am Asami Sato, daughter of Hiroshi Sato and heiress of Future Industry."

"Good for you. You still can't pass."

Lilith then stood up, meeting the man's gaze. The temperature suddenly dropped, and not by a couple of degrees, frost appeared from nowhere and spread on the wall, covering even the clothes they were wearing to the point even the slightest movements produced cracking sounds. Jing though, didn't notice it.

"Sir. Let us pass."

His attention was entirely focused on the girl's eyes, two deep black pools into which he could almost loose himself... almost... no. He blinked, shrugging off the uneasy feeling before shaking his head.

"Sorry kid. You don't want to see that."

A tap on his shoulder made him turn his head and met another pair of eyes, a little more crazy pair of eyes.

"But I want her to see. Let her pass."

He did. No point in questioning the orders of the scary lady. But then Asami tried to come inside and he stopped her.

"Hey!"

"Not you."

Kali spoke. "Asami, I still need you sane a little longer. Stay out of this for the time being; okay?"

If look could kill, Kali's force field would have activated on the spot, probably.

"Trust me, It's better for now."

"..."

"I'l make it up to you, swear." '_As if my word had any value._'

She pouted but stepped back.

"Yeah, yeah, okay. I'm getting back to the car."

"As you wish." She closed the door.

Inside the kitchen, Lilith was waiting for Kali to say something, she didn't wait long.

"What did I say about using your powers?"

"To not do it before you give me permission."

"Yes, and what did you just do?"

"I used my powers. But come on, I have progressed a lot since I began my training. I'm a fast learner you know. It was fine."

There was no warning or indications, Kali didn't even flinch or blinked, not that she ever does. For Lilith, it was like a sledgehammer had smashed her brain in one brutal swing. Then, pain disappeared as well as her smell, her touch, all of her senses in fact. She couldn't move, she couldn't see, she couldn't think, she was a prisoner of her own body and mind. To her, it felt like she was floating in some kind of lightless void, weightless, thoughtless. Then, a large screen appeared from seemingly nowhere. There was Kali, but bigger and scarier, or was she always like that? On the screen, Kali spoke.

"Lilith, jump."

The floating Lilith felt a strange sensation as the screen moved, like some kind of distant vibration.

"Good. Lilith, move up to the window."

Again, the screen moved, in the direction of the window this time. When that happened, the weightless Lilith felt a strange sensation building up inside her, fear. Why wasn't she controlling her own body?

"Lilith, open the window."

She saw an arm that should have been hers pull apart the empty frames. Now she was panicking. Yet, there wasn't a single thing she could do to stop her body.

"Now, step up on the edge."

Lilith's body stood on the edge of the window, looking down three floors.

Inside the void, the dark eyed girl was screaming. She didn't want to do any of those things. No, she wanted to go back inside, to yell and hit Kali. But she didn't do anything, simply because she was falling in place in an infinite void and could only watch at what had once been her body that was standing on the brink.

"Lilith, jump."

And, without any hesitation, Lilith jumped. She screamed in fear as the screen showered her body falling. Then she was brutally interrupted when a hand gripped her from behind and yanked her up. Her body stopped falling and she was pulled from the void and thrown on a hard metal floor. She didn't really know how she was able to say it was a metal floor since she had no more senses but she could. Slowly, she raised her head, taking full view of where she was and was left awestruck. The room, place, fortress, she was in was cavernous, no, gigantic. The roof was over five hundred meters high while the walls on each side more than one hundred meters apart. Pillars and arches sprung from everywhere to support the massive structure, all bearing intricate carvings of skulls, Aquilas and others in gold. The entire thing was already impressive, but was nothing compared to the activity on the floors. Yes, floors, plural. The place had numerous floors filled with strange machineries and crawling with people. Some were wearing red robes and had large metal poles coming from their backs; others were wearing some kind of armor and bearing tube like weapons, a great number were dressed in simple black robe, connected to wires and fixing screens. All of it was expanding from a central point like a spider web, apparently were Lilith had been dropped, a place higher than any floor were a giant statue, maybe a hundred meters high, of a man in gold and adamantium armor was standing. '_What the hell is Adamantium? And how do I know that?_' She couldn't say why or how but it was shining with raw power, a literal flaming beacon of light with a stern look and a face like rock, facing down the most terrifying of creature without any fear, a man that made her feel like a pitiful ant at the feet of a giant of legend. At the literal feet was a fifty meter throne from which thousands of wires were coming from, connecting the throne to apparently the entire room's machines. Sitting upon the throne and towering over her was Kali, clad in that dark armor of hers and holding a cup filled with a hot liquid. Her eyes were half closed, her red hair a mess and she looked half asleep already, even her voice was heavy with tiredness.

"Lilith. I'm becoming really tired of this routine where developing. You use your powers, I warn you to not underestimate them, you say you are sorry and it starts again. Lilith, in a controlled environment, it may take years for an active psyker, that is someone who voluntarily tries to use his powers, to safely use them without exploding into a cloud of goo or becoming a daemon's nice meal. You think what I made you do here was horrible? Imagine if I had ordered you to kill your friends or to blow yourself up in a crowd. We are not playing with water or juggling with stone here, we are manipulating forces that can obliterate worlds, that have no real masters but themselves and that will try to dominate you." She sighed. "But here, I don't know exactly why but you haven't gone mad yet. So, in regard of these circumstances, this will be my last warning about the consequence of bad mental protections and the careless uses of your powers and from now on I will assume you have reached a certain level of competence. Here are the rules until I change them. First, mind barriers up at all times, no exception, even when you're asleep because I will watch. Second, don't use your powers unless they are your last options, your real last option. Third, don't initiate telepathy, it's too dangerous for now. The rules are by order of importance by the way. Understood?"

Lilith nodded as Kali took a sip of her drink.

"Good. Any questions before we go back?"

"Where are we?"

"The bridge of the _**Unbreakable Fortitude**_, my master's ship. Or rather, my memory of it."

"We're in your mind?"

"Yes. See any differences between yours and mine?"

Lilith's mental throat suddenly felt very dry.

"A couple."

The armored Kali had a tired laugh.

"Okay, come into the bedroom."

The moment she said, or thought that, Lilith wasn't sure, the world became dark again. Suddenly, she felt oxygen rushing inside her lungs, the hard wood of a table, and the metallic taste of blood in the air. Wait, what, blood? She rose from the table she was lying on, unsure of what had really happened. Had she really lost control of her body or was it an illusion? The question spinned inside her mind for a second or two, but then she saw the open window and the marks on the edge. Nope, she really had climbed on the window after all. She couldn't repress a shiver at the thought of her almost suicide, no, her almost murder. Damnit, every time she began to think Kali wasn't a crazy maniac she pulled something like that. And she couldn't even really blame her because she knew why she was like that. '_Shit._' Resigned, she walked up to the bedroom, the only room with its door open as well as the one from which an awful smell was emanating. Coming in, she saw the Inquisitor leaning against the wall at her right who was, surprisingly, eating noodles from a box. That stopped her straight.

"Wha... where did you find that?"

"Here. Left behind. By the way, you're gonna need this." She was handed a basket by Kali.

"What?"

"Look." She pointed at the left wall.

Lilith, again, wished she hadn't turned her head, though, at least she knew from where the smell was coming from now. Pinned against the wall over the bed by large metal stakes that had been driven through his wrists and ankles was a man, or what was left of him. Almost all of his skin had the appearance of dry cardboard, having been utterly carbonized, but that was probably the least disturbing fact about him. His mouth had been forced shut with eight needles rammed through his lips while his eyes had been pierced with nails, while they were still open. As the girl lowered her sight away from his gory face, she saw that the man's torso had been lacerated to the point of looking like if someone had simply strapped some chopped meat over his rib cage. Then, the same person had apparently open said rib cage, grabbed his organs and hacked them off before sewing them to the wall around him in a circle with barbed wire. And with that final touch, Lilith understood the why of the handed basket when she filled it with the contents of her stomach. When she raised her head from it, Kali was still patiently eating her box of noodles.

"What the fuck is that?!"

"Normality."

"That's not normal!"

The Inquisitor shrugged and took another bite of noodles.

"It is for a cultist."

"Why was he killed?"

"Most probably, for fun. But he isn't dead."

"Huh?" She looked again at the gruesome spectacle, forcing herself to examine it only to realise that she was right. Even if they had been removed from the body, all of the organs were still alive, shit, the heart was even still beating. She also made another discovery in that there was still something inside her stomach after all.

When she finally had regained enough countenance to rise from her kneeling position, Kali had finished her meal and was closely inspecting the body.

"Oh good you've finished. Come here you need to see this."

"I'd rather not, please."

"Lilith, come here, now."

"But..."

"Here, now." The tone didn't leave any place for discussion and so she advanced.

From up close, the smell and sight were even worse. Flies had begun to hover around him, some even landing on his still pulsing organs.

"How... how is he still alive?"

"Look closely."

"Really?"

"Yes. Better you get use to that by the way; I feel it might become a common sight soon."

'_Damnit._' She got even closer to the bleeding pulp of flesh, breathing by the mouth to prevent herself from vomiting again. She tried to discern... things? Maybe there was a pattern in the organ's disposition, or maybe she was supposed to note the freshness of the parts or... runes? Yes, she could barely see them under the coagulated blood but there was some kind of strange symbols that had been branded on the exposed flesh. Now that she could see them though, she began to feel the beginning of a strange headache, like if something was scratching her behind her eyes. Yet, they were really interesting, like if... she could almost understand what they meant. Were they emitting a low sound? Yes, a faint sound. Maybe if she was to get a little closer she could... brusquely, Kali grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.

"Best not get too close to Chaos symbols."

The headache had stopped, as well as the sound the moment she had backed from him, leaving her with only a sour after taste inside her mouth and an impression of confusion.

"Wha... that was..."

"Eight pointed star of Chaos, yes."

"Is that what is keeping him alive?"

"Partly. You remember how to use your Witch Sight?"

"Yes. But didn't you say it was dangerous to do so around... 'Chaos' symbols?"

"You wanted to be recognized as capable didn't you? So now do it."

Lilith closed her eyes, slowing her breathing as she concentrated. Delicately, she brought her mind closer to the Warp. When she opened her eyes again, the room had gained an eerie bluish light, transforming the objects like the walls, the floor, the bed, the window, Kali's meal and others in semi-transparent hollow masses framed in white fuzzy lines. In this new background, Kali stood out with a golden aura around her black steel body. In contrast, the man was an horror show covered by black tendrils of sick energy that dug inside him and pumped a rotten liquid directly into his organs. Strapped to his torso, ravenous mouths filled with teeth were eating at his soul while sick black tongues were lapping at his dripping blood. This entire disgusting spectacle formed the previously mentioned symbol, a revolting ring with a central point from which eight arrows of irregular length were springing outward. It was corrupting even the air around it as if it was trying to grow by devouring and poisoning the world itself.

Lilith closed her eyes, bringing back her mind from the border of madness.

"Is that, how you called it, sorcery?"

"Partly. It's a botched up ritual. Nothing big really, the sacrifice of a soul to Chaos at large. But they didn't have the time to finish apparently."

"How can you say that? He's in agony."

"Exactly, he is neither dead nor soulless. I guess they have been interrupted by someone or something."

Lilith turned back toward Kali, shaking.

"What do we do?"

The Inquisitor sighed. "Not much." '_Solomon, come in._' There was a flapping sound followed by a high pitch scream and a heavy stomp when the psy-eagle came flying through the room and landed on the bed. 'T_ake a picture then go back to the car._' He did and flew right back.

"Lilith, you can go too."

"And you?"

"This man's soul deserves to be judged by the Emperor and so, unless you happened to have found faith in the last minute, please leave."

"Hey, I believe in the Emperor."

Kali's voice hardened. "No. You have heard my stories and maybe you believe you have faith. But, in truth, you have no more faith than a Grox and I don't have enough force left to argue that with you."

Lilith felt strangely insulted by that. "Well, he doesn't believe either."

"True, but again, as I said, his soul at least deserves a chance. So, please, go back to the car."

With a huff, she left the room, making sure to violently slam the door. A reaction the Inquisitor's tired mind didn't bother to register. She put a knee to the ground, making the sign of the Aquila before joining her hands and taking a deep breath.

"_**Although your body is broken, **_

_**Although your blood pours away, **_

_**Although your time may end, **_

_**The Immortal Emperor will**_

_**greet you, **_

_**And embrace you with His holy**_

_**aura,**_

_**If only you remain constant to**_

_**Him,**_

_**Through this time of torment.**_"

With this over, she stood up, drew her blade and, in one clean swipe, cut his heart in two. Inhuman screams were heard from nowhere, howling their frustration as their meal was taken from them.

"**Oh shut** **up you abomination. At least have the dignity to die in silence.**"

The bolt of Warp fire hit the man, engulfing him in blue and white roaring flames. The ungodly howling doubled in intensity, but Kali had already left the room. Rushing through the hallway, she grabbed the metalbender by the arm, dragging him along with her.

"What's going on?"

"I set fire to the apartment."

"You what?!"

"Was the only solution. I suggest you call whoever is responsible for dealing with fire in this city when we get out."

"But why?" The man truly couldn't understand his new boss, what was wrong with her. Setting fire to a building, why? '_Shit, had she killed the guy and now wanted to make the evidence disappear?_'

"So, I would have take a guy, torture him, then left him behind, waited for the police to find him and finally come here to burn his corpse after you guys have had all the time to investigate the crime scene. Seriously? That make no senses. Jing, don't try to understand, okay. I only do what I need to do, never more, never less. So stop worrying... but not for the fire, that would be bad."

They got out on to the streets with Kali stumbling a little in the direction of Asami's car. There, two rather upset people watched her approach. While Solomon, he, was rather indifferent to the whole thing. They watched as she fell against the car's side, her eyes becoming more and more empty each passing second.

"Now, both of you have good questions about what just happened and I will answer most of them."

Those were her last words before falling asleep. Like a puppet who had had her strings cut, her body collapsed over the car's passenger door.

"Kali!" Lilith rushed to her, her previous grief temporary forgotten. "Kali are you okay?" She didn't answer. "Kali, please, what's happening?" Whatever she expected as an answer, a snore certainly wasn't one. "Ah, come on."

The fearsome Inquisitor, terror of heretics with a mind of steel, capable of murdering without a second thought, was peacefully sleeping between Lilith's arms with a relaxed smile on her face and faintly snoring.

It was Asami who best summarized the night. "I'm hanging out with crazy people."

* * *

When Kali woke up, she felt the soft feeling of blankets over her body. Strange since she didn't remember having fell asleep nowhere near a bed. Carefully, she let her mind scan her immediate environment and, finding no mind around her, rise from the bed. She was in some closed room with a rather spartan set of furniture, only a bed, and a double headed eagle over the wooden door. When she saw it, something clicked in her mind.

'_Oh, well, they did a rather decent job cleaning up. Though I will feel better once those walls will have been remplaced._'

Lilith had apparently put her into to one of the empty room under the factory, one of those she intended to transform as soon as she could began to produce low grade ceramite and plasteel. Which, given how things were progressing, should be somewhere around the middle of next week. Now, if only she could get some loyal and discreet peoples to make all the changes. The employees from the slums were decent but they lacked the work ethic of the typical imperial citizen. Probably because they hadn't the threat of dead to motivate them or prevent them from stealing what she wanted to produce. Anyway, without any clothes in sight, she left the room in her underwear in search of Lilith or someone able to tell what had happened during her slumber.

It only took her five minutes of wandering before earing the voices of Lilith in conversation with what sounded to be her gang of friends.

"... look, Kali's out so..."

"Yeah, you already said that ten times, we got it." The annoyed tone indicated Azula presence.

"And yet you don't seem to understand it."

"Well sorry if I think that our weeks of work and a super important new is worth more than some beauty sleep."

"Hey! She was up for days." '_Thank for the defense Lilith but I'm actually on Azula side on this._'

"And down for two!"

"Stop it, both of you." '_Hum, authority whitout any of the two protesting, probably Zhao._' "But Lilith, I'm sorry but I'm pretty sure that Kali would consider an Equalist raid important enough new to be woke up." '_More or less._'

She entered the half full storage room were the band was, startling them for some reason.

"More or less. I'm gonna need a couple more details though."

And, of course the reason was her current attire.

They all had the same initial reactions, a surprised look at her collection of scars, then, a sort of grim fascination at the ballet of her electoos swirling on her body, and finally, the realization they could see all of that because she was in her underwear. Zhao and Lilith blushed heavily, turning a deep shade of red before diverting their sight toward the ground. Hui, sitting on top of a small tool cabinet, also blushed but actually managed to keep his composure, mostly, before looking away. Azula, on the other hand, from atop her pile of bags, whistled. For Kali, this pallet of reactions was finally shedding some light on the sexual norms of, at least, the city, which she had not been able to find a single damn book about and that was a shame because you can learn a lot about a society by them. The few fact she had gathered indicated that they didn't seemed to have too much problems with women with bare arms in public, even if it wasn't a widespread behavior and might be, in fact, a sort of rebellion against the norms. Sexuality also seemed pretty repressed. Even in the shadiest part of town she couldn't see the streets prostitution or worehouse typically associated with those kind of places. Pornography, in almost all of his form, was seemingly inexistent. Homosexuality, on the same vein, was, by the look of their law and the way the group had reacted to Azula whistle, a social taboo massively frowned upon and punishable by severe fines or prison time. Now, she could also confirm that partial nudity was also a touchy subject for them, even between people that knew each others. Those things, sexual norms, were always a pain in the ass to discover and adapt to on a new world. Kali had once been in a system with two inhabited planet, hunting a Slaanesh cult. The first considered sex before wedding an heresy warrant of death while the other had legal prostitution and sexual norms so loose you could use them as skipping rope. Kali was pretty sure there was some kind of grand irony in the fact that the Slaanesh cultists was actually on the first planet and had no support on the second.

Anyway, with that information stored somewhere inside her brain, she walked up to them.

"Azula, eyes only. No touch okay."

The girl seemed surprised by the Inquisitor answer, especially her light tone, enough for her cat smile to have a second or two of lag.

"Nice new look."

"Thanks, but not enough armor for my taste."

She sat beside Lilith. The girl was still looking at the ground.

"So, where are my clothes?"

"Ah... heu... well, I wanted to clean them and I wasn't sure when you would wake up."

"So?"

"They kind of all are at the cleaner for another day."

"Oh. Okay. Anything left for me?"

"Your coat and your... strange suit."

"Hum, normally it would be enough but I guess there is already a problem and it's in relation with the reason you are all arguing."

"Pretty much." It was Zhao who answered, he too still looking at the ground.

"Okay. So, why should I be concerned by an Equalist raid? Also, stop looking at the ground, I know it's a pretty one but I'm talking to you."

The three of them didn't move.

"Come on, how old are you, sixteen? That's not the first time you have seen someone..."

They only began to blush even more. Honestly, Kali didn't even knew it was possible to do so.

"**By the Emperor, any Hive would have eaten you alive.**" Still, more sexual norms data, kinda disappointing though.

"Okay, Azula, what's happening?"

"Well, we heard that some of the gangs had began to gather some muscles and they only do that when they ready themself for a tuff war. So, we asked around a little and it appear that the Triads are afraid of the Equalist attacking them."

"The Equalist are an anti-benders group, of course they are going to attack them one day. So why now?"

"Well." She extracted a flyer from her pocket. "These things have been popping up around a lot recently. They announce some kind of revelation from the Equalist and I bet this is what had everyone worked up. That and the fact that the Red Monsoon have been raided this morning."

Hearing that, the three other raised their heads in surprise.

"What?" That was Lilith.

"How do you know that?" Hui said almost at the same time.

"Somebody I know, who might be a Triad members and who also might have watched said raid, has told me."

"Azula, did you hanged with Emi again?" Now it was Zhao turn to speak, but with a faint note of reproach in his tone.

"Pfu, and what if I did?"

"Azula..."

"What. You're gonna tell me she's a bad influence." She pointed to me. "She's a bad influence and you let Lilith with her."

'_I'm a bad influence now?_'

"It's not the same thing."

"Oh yeah, how so?"

"Well, sh..."

"Shut up!"

Kali stopped them before this turned into a full blown drama scene. '_Hope this won't be a common theme with them._'

"Now, I don't care what is wrong with you two, but could you fucking wait after this to kill each other."

'_At least I would be sure to have the best one after that._' "Azula, I don't know about your contact and I don't want to know about her, but, his she reliable?"

"Yes." Her face, for once, was serious.

"Good. That's all that matter."

Kali took a moment to consider what she had learned. The Equalist were obviously up to something, though by the standards of this world, up to something could mean they were going to give the captured benders a slap on the cheek and let them go, and had little competences if they could kidnaps gangs members. But the 'missed members' were problematic. Had they been let go on purpose or was it truly because of the Equalist incompetence? And what was this 'Revelation'? Obviously, it had something to do with benders, but what exactly? The best way to know would be, of course, to ask an Equalist. But where would a moderately high ranking Equalist be?

"Okay. And do you know when this raid is most likely to happen?"

"Well, the Revelation is for tomorow so I guess they will attack tonight."

"Hum... '_How convenient._' Anybody up for a fancy dinner?"

* * *

The night had fallen on Republic City and with it, almost magically, a weak smog had filled the streets and gave the city its unique atmosphere. A glooming sight in the darkness, the light from the windows of the crime gang's headquarters masquerading as a restaurant where there were those fat with money drenched in the blood of the poor currently eating. Well, normally yes, but here it was more money drenched in the sweat of easily terrified merchants and the cutthroat gangster had been remplaced by a bunch of pre-schola bullies. Also, there was somehow three slightly apprehensive teenagers eating there. From the other side of the street, at a fourth floor window, two people were observing the trio. A binocular wielding Inquisitor and a bored looking Firebender.

"Anything yet?"

"Zhao has just finished his drink and Hui's fish is late, but apart from that, no."

Slouched against the wall, Azula was, figuratively, dying of boredom.

"You know, when you talked about a stakeout, I imagined something more exciting."

"Yes, you have been very vocal about that, thank you." '_There is a reason why I usually let my Acolytes do that for me._'

"Pfu... so, what's the story about you scars and... tattoos?"

"Electoos. Though, skinplants is also a possible name because, really, the two are almost basically the same."

"Huh...?"

"They are fine crystals inserted between the layers of my skin powered by the electrical current of my body."

"Waow, that sounds... awesome."

"Yeah, that's why I got them. I even have one that doubles as a watch."

"And your right arm? I have never seen one like that."

"If you really want to know, it's not my original one."

"Hahaha, really funny." She eyed Kali. "You know I could throw a firebolt at you."

"Good thing your fire is less dangerous than a candle then."

The annoyed Azula.

"But it you want to know, it's a bionic. Basically, I replaced my arm with a machine." '_Feels like I already had this conversation. Wonder why._'

"Cool. Can I get one?"

"Only if you lose a limb. And not on purpose."

"Oh, come on."

"No excuse."

"Okay, okay. And the scars?"

"Combat."

"That's a lot of scars."

"That's a lot of combat you get in over a century of fighting."

"What?! You're joking right?"

"About what?"

"Your age. Nobody lives that long. Well, except maybe some rare guru but not soldiers."

"Really? Because among my peers, I'm relatively young."

"Seriously, how old are you?"

"It's not polite to ask you know."

Azula glared at her, but her expression only managed to crack a smile out of Kali.

"Okay, I think I'm a little over a century and a half. More or less twenty years." The deadpan tone of Kali left no place for doubt about the truth of her words and Azula seemed mystified by that simple statement of fact.

"How?"

"Imperial technology."

"But you look... like nineteen or twenty, twenty-one max."

"Really good Imperial technology." Kali smiled. "I once met a three hundred year old Inquisitor, don't remember her name right now but, ooh, she was a badass bad girl."

She turned toward the pensive firebender.

"Which, by the way, remind me of something. You were born here right?"

Azula shook herself out of her thoughts. "Yes, why?"

"I'm gonna go on a limb here and say that sex is a pretty touchy subject around here."

She actually repressed a weak cough before answering. "Yeah, yeah you can say that."

"Hmm, let me guess, it's a subject nobody talks about except in a really private place, anything else is considered vulgar and erotism is highly frowned upon?"

"Pretty much."

"As I thought. Frankly, I have visited many planets and I must say yours is one of the most boring on that subject." '_As with many other things. Though I'd wager it will change really soon._'

"A..." She began a sentence, but suddenly stopped, surprise and panic now filling her eyes. "The Equalists!"

Kali swirled back toward the window and the triad headquarters. The interior was now black, filled with smoke and numerous forms could be seen moving inside, as well; the sound of fighting could be heard.

"Shit." She reached toward Lilith with her mind. '_Lilith, what's happening?_'

Her mind was like a storm, completely panicked and unfocused. '_Kali, help!_'

'_Tell me what's happening._'

'_I don't know, there's people ev..._'

Kali felt her apprentice's mind flare through the link, overcharging it with enough energy to break the link between them. Kali jolted back from the window, stoping beside a nervous Azula.

"What do we do?

Kali started sprinting toward the stairs. "The car!"

They ran down the stairs as fast as they could, which when it comes to stairs unfortunately meant, not really fast. Once down, Kali basically ripped the door leading to the alley where the car was from its hinges with a psychical push, turning the doorknob would have been a waste of time. Two seconds later, she was behind the wheel, pushing the accelerator while Azula was still only half-on her seat. The wheels spinned on the ground before launching the vehicle forward in the direction of the restaurant. On the other side of the building, through a narrow alley-way, the two girls could see the blank trucks and bikes of the Equalist being loaded with prisoners.

"Kali, that's too close." Her worried tone referred to how the recycled triad car was way too large to fit through the path between the buildings.

"I know." Strangely, Kali's answer did not reassure Azula one bit. Especially when she aimed the car right at the restaurant's front.

"Azula."

"Yes?" A slight panic was showing in her voice, as well as excited anticipation.

"Last chance to jump."

"In your dreams!"

Her subsequent scream was drowned under the sound of the car crashing through the wood and glass of the headquarters' wall. Then, it was the interior furniture that was crushed under the frame of the speeding vehicule, tables, chairs, glasses, utensils, menus, tablecloths, etc. All were grinded to dust. The telekinetic shield that Kali had extended around the car protected the two of them from most of the damages. That is, until it broke down when they rammed the reinforced back-wall, but hey, at least they didn't get crushed by the crumbling cement. Anyway, they exited through the back, literally, covered in dust, bricks and wooden splinters and with Azula still screaming.

"Awesome!"

Skidding on the right, they found themselves facing the behind of a white polar bear-dog rapidly running away and carrying two people, one with a very bright soul.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" That was something Kali had never anticipated. Why in hell was she here, chasing Equalists? Sure, she might want to defend benders, but triad members?

"What? Who?" Azula was brought back from her euphoric state.

"The Avatar!"

"What?"

"That was the Avatar."

"Then what are we waiting for! Go, go, go!"

Kali was all for that, except the engine was unresponsive.

"Oh come on you fucking piece of cheap heretech, work!"

She furiously tried to jump start the damn car once, twice, three times, five times and then, bam, it began to rumble and run like a charm. Now though, they were a little behind everyone.

"Fucking cliché."

At her side, Azula was shaking with impatience.

"Let's go!"

With already too much time lost, they speeded forward, leaving burnt marks on the ground and going after the Equalists. They and the Avatar were actually out of each other's sight, but it was pretty easy for Kali to follow the possessed girl's tracks, especially considering she wasn't doing anything to hide it. They raced through the streets, skidding at full speed and desperately trying to catch up. At many moments, the walls on each side of the car were so close together that they were scratching against the car's frame, ripping off the decoration. '_Never liked them anyway._' When they finally reached the bonfire that was the Avatar's soul to Kali witch sight, after what seemed like hours, they found themselves in a large open crossroads empty of people except for a tied up large animal, two teenagers and two other persons, gender unknown, in some sort of black body suit. That was all the Inquisitor had time to see before the two black clad figures threw smoke grenades at the Avatar and her friend, enveloping them in a white cloud, before climbing back on their bikes and running away. Now, Kali could have stopped for the Avatar and her animal, assure her state and then... seriously? The Inquisitor speeded up, passing them without so much as a gaze and focussing her attention on the fleeing Equalists.

Further ahead, the two Equalist bikers were full of adrenaline, their brains almost literally drowing in the hormone. Tonight, they and their friends had raided the Triple threat headquarters, kidnapping every last one of the scumbags with an ease they would have never imagined. Then, just after that, they had bested the Avatar. The freaking Avatar had stood no chance against them. The Avatar dammit. And now, what looked like a half wrecked triad car was chasing them, probably the friends of those they had captured. The left biker made a sign to his friend. Why not stop and give this morons a lesson about who are the future leaders of this city. With a smile hidden under her mask, the right biker nodded. They led the pursuing car to another empty crossroad, then, as before, jumped from their motorbike and waited for the triad members to stop and jump at them. They waited. The car approached really fast. Really fast. They would have a hard time to break in time. Any second now...

The triad car didn't stop. The last thing the right biker saw before being hit by the car were two large grins and a pair of cold immobile green eyes. The 40 mph fast frame of the car smashed the standing Equalist, crushing her rib cage and showing her broken body under the thin wheels. By the time the car had stopped, she was suffering multiple hemorrhages, both of her lungs were pierced by her broken ribs, her lower jaw was fractured beyond repair, she was missing most of her front teeth, her left arm had been crushed, her left foot was but a pulp of flesh and shattered bones. In short, when Kali stepped out from the triad car, the Equalist was already drowning in her blood.

Just five meters to her left, the other Equalist was dumbstruck. All of his excitation and previous boast had vanished when she, his childood friend, had been hit. One moment she was there, a pro-fighter capable of taking down the Avatar and any bender, the next, she was a broken doll of flesh lying on the ground. How could that have happened, they had trained for over a year, there skills had been continuously honed, month after month, and now, a simple car had killed her with the same ease one would kill an annoying fly. Slowly, he turned his head toward the black coat wearing figure. Her head was like ablaze, her eyes, two green dots in the middle of an inferno that promised no life and her smile, a cold smile that sent shivers down his spine. She fixed him right in the eyes and spoke with amusement.

"Physics, bitch."

These simple two words sent him into a blind rage. How dare she laugh at his friend's death, how dare she kill her, how dare she live. Yes, that was the only solution. He was going to kill this cunt with all the rage and violence he could. Oh yes, she was going to suffer a lot. He made a step in her direction.

"You fuckingaaah!"

His threat ended in a scream when a sudden shattering bang was heard and he felt what appeared to be a sledgehammer hit his knee. He collapsed to the ground, his right leg unable to support his weight any longer. All of his burning rage had been covered by a white cloak of pain that coated his mind. It was as if his leg was on fire, yet, he could feel coldness griping his hurt knee. What the hell had hit him? There was nobody close to him. Was it... an arrow? With the little force he had left, he turned his head toward his wound.

"Oh shit!"

His knee was nothing but a bloody mess pouring blood like a firehose, shit, he could even see white bits that were probably what was left of his kneecap.

"Shit, shit, shit!"

He tried to stay awake, but the pain was blinding his mind, transforming the world into a fuzzy blackness. The last thing he saw was the towering black figure over him, smiling while not smiling.

"Oh shit."

* * *

Chao, for it was his name, woke up in the dark. He couldn't see anything, but he could feel a lot of other things. The taste of vomit mixed with blood inside his mouth, the cold air, the rough feeling of tight ropes around his wrist, ankle, upper leg, chest, and even around his forehead. Any tentative to moves only saw the rough rope grind against his naked skin. Wait, naked skin? The realization was brutal and highly uncomfortable, he was completely naked. That was when he really began to be scared. There is a sort of primal fear about being naked in an unknown place, especially, an unknown place where you are tied down and most probably surrounded by enemies. With an ever growing sense of dread, he began to struggle more violently against his bonds, only for his leg to send a spike of pain through his whole body powerful enough to nearly make him pass out again.

'_Shit, shit. I need to get out and fast; I don't want to die like... no, dammit. She's dead and there is_ _nothing I can do._'

Chao repressed his tears.

"Oh good, that would have been really awkward to watch."

The sudden cold voice coming from behind made him jump in surprise, as much as one can jump while being tied to a chair that is.

"By the way, the whole mental angsty monologue thing, pfu, kinda boring."

There was a click sound when someone pulled the chain of the globe hanging over him and suddenly the room was filled with bright light that, to him, felt as if someone had jammed a candle into his eyes.

"Feeling comfortable?"

After a few moments of white blindness, he began to see the rough details of the situation he was in and it was not at all comforting. For starters, he had been right about being naked, though knowing it didn't make it any better, second, under his feet he could feel cold metal while in front of him he could see humid run down cement indicating he was somewhere underground and, finally, his entire body was immobilised by tight ropes. Hell, he couldn't even turn his head.

"Fuck you."

"Hmm, quite comfortable then."

The form stepped in to his field of view. She was the tall women in dark clothes, the one with the red hair and the cold eyes.

"Have you any idea what you have done? I'm an Equalist you dumb..."

He felt metal slap his cheek, violently.

"Don't you dare touch me cu..."

This time, he felt his lower lip open.

"Wanna continue, because I can last way longer than you."

"I don't care you killer."

'_I really need to teach proper insults to these people._' "Technically, I didn't kill her, a violent velocity change did. Wait, no, that would have been if we had crashed in a wall. Do you know what it is called when someone rams a, honestly, moderately fast car right into some girl face?"

"She has a name you fuckin...!"

Again, the gloved hand hit him on the jaw. This time, he clearly felt one of his teeth break.

"Of course she has a name."

Kali pulled a wallet from inside her coat.

"They all have names, her, me, you, the people you kidnapped. We're not in some kind of cheap holo-vid with nameless mooks."

She began to inspect the contents of the wallet.

"She had a mother, a father, and a young brother."

"What's the fucking point! You wanna make me believe you have remorse, you're a fucking monster."

Kali raised an eyebrow.

"Remorse? Why?"

Chao could feel his mouth being filled with blood, staining his clenched teeth.

"You bender, you're all fucking evil."

Kali's reaction wasn't really the one Chao was expecting, she began laughing.

"Evil? People are never simply evil. They always have those pesky personal reasons for even the most monstrous act. Me, I kill, you, you kidnap and we both have reasons that seems perfectly reasonable to us. As such, neither you or I are the good guy. But then, neither are we the bad guy."

The Inquisitor sighed.

"But this somewhat disjointed conversation about the human evil as lasted too long already."

She leaned in, putting her hands on his bare leg and reminding him of his current nakedness.

"Where have they taken the prisoners?"

"I'll never tell you, bitch."

"Okay."

She raised her head, making eye contact with someone behind him. Suddenly, the chair's back was pulled back and his head was suddenly facing the ceiling and the dangling light. At least, it was for a brief moment before a wet towel was press against his face and the water began to rush down on him. The liquid was continously filling his nose and mouth, forcing him to cough furiously just to avoid drowning. Spitting like a daemon in holy water, he was desperate for a normal breath as he felt his strained muscles slowly stop fighting the water, too tired to continue. Then, just as he was going to start drowning, the water stopped and he was able to breathe. Was it over? No, two breaths later the water fell on him again, and again, and again. For what seemed like hours, ten minutes chrono in hand, he struggled under the sporadic falling water. When the towel was finally lifted from his face, he was panting heavily with only his bounds preventing his body from crashing on the ground.

"Good, now that we have finished the introduction and that you are ready, we can begin the interrogation." What was possibly the most terrifying thing was that her voice had no emotion. She wasn't disgusted by what she was doing, neither was she enjoying it, for her, it was simply a task to do in order to get answers.

"Please, stop, I... I will talk, please, just stop."

"Really, that soon? What do you think Azula?"

"He's lying." That voice was almost dripping with glee.

"Yes, I would agree with you. So..." She turned back to the tied up man. "Are you lying or not?"

"I'm not, please. They took them to the entre port where the Revelation is going to happen. Just, just give me a map."

"Meh, why not."

A second later, a map of the city was being held in front of him.

"There."

He pointed, somehow, at a building a couple of blocks under the city park and a rock throw from the coast.

"So Azula, what do you think?"

"Sounds legit, that place is full of empty warehouses that they could use for their whatever."

"It is, please, believe me."

Kali came back in front of the Equalist.

"Good. Next question, what is the Revelation?"

He hesitated for one second, one second too much. His left finger was crushed by Kali's bionic.

"What is the Revelation?"

"Aaarg, please, I don't know. Amon is supposed to demonstrate a power that will assure victory against the bender's oppression, that's all they told me."

"Hmm, interesting. How many guards?"

"Not much."

Another of his fingers was crushed.

"Aaah, fuck, shit! Okay, okay, all of us we'll be there. That's, I think we are around fifty. But I have never seen the building before, please, I don't know anything else. I swear!"

"Okay. Then, one last question."

From inside her coat, she grabbed a small metal box marked with strange runes.

"Where did you get this?" If that was ever possible, her voice became even more cold and dangerous.

"That." Inside the box was a crudely stylised eight slightly tainted with blood. "That's the symbol of the Equalist elite. We are the first wave of warriors that will cleanse the world of benders and set the first stone of a freer future."

"That didn't answered my question. Where. Did. You. Get. This?"

"I..." For some reason, Chao was feeling an alien anger grow inside him. It made him want to rip his own arms off only to shred the throat of this fucking bitch and crush her skull with his still bleeding arms. Wait, what, no. Why was he thinking that? It wasn't him, he didn't wanted to rip her head off.

"It was awarded to me after..."

The flow of repressed memories filled his mind.

"Oh, okay, that way. How many people did you kill?"

It wasn't the rope holding Chao down that broke, It was the chair itself. He was going to kill that cunt, eat her fucking stomach, put her head on a spike and then get back his precious necklace. That was the plan in his mind at least, but then is body remembered that, oh yeah, his knee had been blown up and it fucking hurt. He fumbled forward only to take a boot to the chin that sent him crashing back into the debris of the chair. On a sidenote, he now knew what the metal under his feet had been. It was a basin, now full of water. Water he was pushed under when a boot stepped on his face.

"I asked where did you get this you damn chaotic. I will tear the skin from your body, scrape away your muscles, and grind your bones, all while you are alive if you don't tell me right now!"

He howled in anger, screaming each word while fighting against the water.

"I will kill you bitch, you and all the fucking cheating benders! Me and the Lieutenant will murder all of your friends, eat their flesh as you watch, then, I will rape you, tear you open and wear your skin!"

That only made the Inquisitor smile.

"You got to work on your threats kid, kinda lacking. But I guess you will have an eternity of damnation to do that."

Kali began to apply real pressure to the head under her foot; synthetic muscles can be used for something else other than running after all. Slowly, the skull of the enraged Equalist began to crack and creak, making him scream even as his lungs began to be filled with water. It was his eyes which broke down first; they popped right out of their sockets. Then, his lower jaw shattered along with his teeth which split into ivory splinters under the pressure.. Finally, his skull was simply crushed, leaving is now exposed brain to be compressed between Kali's boot and the cold metal bottom of the basin and transforming his head in to nothing more than a particularly bloody and grey looking pulp of crushed meat. A second latter, what was left of the body burst in white and blue smokeless flames.

With a satisfied look on her face, Kali washed the filth from her boot before raising her head. In the back of the room, still holding the wet towel and looking not disgusted or terrified but rather mesmerised in a slightly mad kind of way. Exactly the kind of attitude Kali was looking for.

"Hey, Azula, wanna learn how to use weapons from a grim dark future where there is only war?"

Her answer was immediate.

"Fuck yeah."

* * *

Lilith was alone in the dark. She had been separated from Zhao and Hui ever since the lights had gone out and the smoke had begun to fill the room. At that instant, the entire restaurant had been thrown into utter chaos with everyone screaming and running in panic. The sudden burst of emotions had taken her by surprise, sending her down on her knee as she fought against the sudden pressure on her mind. It was a little like the first time at the pro-bending arena, though this time she had had her defenses raised. Hurray for Kali's death threat. When she raised her head, two second after the chaos had started and with the psychic tempest maintained at bay, she was ready to fight whatever was coming. As long as it didn't involve expert Chi blockers that is. Guess what she was fighting. Anyway, after having separated her from the guys, they threw her into one of the trucks with a bunch of other captured customers. Violently. Inside, it was dark, hot and smelly. '_Dammit._' Carefully, very carefully, she expanded her mind, finding four others around her. That was pretty much all she could learn, that there was four people with her and that they were all benders. Digging deeper always ended with her nose bleeding and her mind being filled with confused bribes of thoughts and raw emotions.

She tried to move, only to step on someone's hand.

"Aie! Hey, careful!"

"Oh, sorry, sorry."

The form beside her shifted.

"Hey, you're not a Triple Threat member?"

There wasn't really any point in lying at this point.

"No, I'm not. How did you know?" '_Yeah?_'

It was another voice coming from somewhere farther down the truck that answered.

"Because there isn't any chicks in the Triple Threat you idiot."

"Oh, yeah, right. Forgot about that." '_They are the only gang to take all the benders and the only one to not accept girls, the fuck with that. Sexist assholes._'

"You know why they took us?" The first voice said.

"No idea, probably because of their Revelation or something."

"The what?"

"Revelation. It's some sort of Equalist rally. The Red Moonsoon has already been raided, didn't you hear?"

"No, nobody told me. Ah dammit, I never should have accepted the money."

"What money?" Not that it mattered to Lilith but she was curious and it's not like there was much else to do to take her mind out of the bumpy ride.

"Shady Sheen gave me a lot of money to help the triad. A simple job and I would have proven to Mako that I can help. And now I am in an Equalist truck heading in the direction to who knows where and with no idea of why." The voice sure seemed to like complaining.

"Well, we all make bad decisions. Me, I was simply supposed to eat and observe."

"Observe? Observe what?"

"The Equalist attack."

"What!?" All of the voices in the trucks shouted at the same time.

"How did you knew they would?" The voice behind her said once the echo had disappeared.

"Well, you guys are basically the biggest scumbags around, the Equalists hate benders, and their 'Revelation' is tomorrow night. Do the math." '_Isn't it obvious? Are benders really that stupid? Wait, no, not benders, gangsters. Damn, I'm spending too much time with Kali. Soon I'll start walking around in my underwear and threaten people to kill them._'

"Hey, we did. There was like seven of us and even our boss. That should have been enough to stop any simple non-bender."

"And yet, here you are." She rolled her eyes at the man arrogant assumption. Nobody saw it, but she still did it.

The vibration and sound of the car suddenly changed before abruptly stopping.

"Guess it's the end of the road." Lilith twisted herself a little, turning her head in the direction of the first voice.

"So, what's your name?"

"Bolin. And you?"

"It's..."

The doors opened before she had the time to answer and an oversized hand grabbed her ankle, pulling her out of the truck before throwing her to the ground.

"Hey, leave her alone!"

As a reward for his action, Bolin got a fist to the stomach. Still, Lilith appreciated the gesture.

"Shut up bender."

For a second, the strange Equalist seemed to consider the idea of hitting the curled up earthbender before deciding it would only be a loss of time and turning back toward Lilith. With only one arm, he raised her from the cold metal ground and dropped her on her feet.

"Walk."

Lilith looked up to the over-developed mass of muscles standing in front of her. He must have been seven feet tall, had the biggest biceps she had ever seen, two blood shot eyes, a shaved head, black bulging veins on all of his exposed flesh, a sick smile and a disturbing necklace. Lilith could both see and feel the corruption emanating from the little eight pointed star, it almost made her want to throw up.

"I said, walk."

His armored boot hit her just under the rib cage, sending her back to the ground.

"I'm not gonna walk a lot if you hit me!" '_Damn me and my big mouth._'

The next kick hit her in the thigh. It hurted.

"Fuck! Okay, okay."

She stood up the best she could, which wasn't that good after having her leg kicked by the mountain of meat and with your hands tied behind your back.

"So, where's my room?"

He slapped the back of her head.

"That way."

They left the big open space where the trucks had stopped for a series of small cramped corridors filled with steamy pipes and more Equalists. Equalists who hugged the wall the moment they saw her guardian. '_Interesting, so, not all of these fucking bender haters were in on the whole Chaos thing. Did they even know what was happening?_' So many questions she couldn't even ask because, well, first they wouldn't answer and, two, they would probably kick her for that. At least the one behind her would and a couple more of his slaps to the back of the head would probably send her into a coma.

They both entered a small rusted elevator that lowered them down three floors, each more and more decayed than the previous one and more empty of human presence. But still, they were pretty much in the standard of Republic City. The last one though, not so much. Physically, the stench of human waste mixed with blood was filling the dark room and seemed to stick inside Lilith's throat at every breath. She could also hear distorted sounds that resembled chewing, rapid breathing, crying. What made it worse was the complete lack of light in the area, making the sources of these sounds or simply the size and position of anything inside the place they were in, well, impossible to see. In the dark, her guardian guided her through some sort of invisible, for her only apparently, path. Then, she heard the grinding sound of a rusted door being opened before the cultist shoved her inside whatever he had pushed her in. She landed face first into some putrid liquid and a metal floor.

"Hey! What about my bounds?" She said after having spitted the waste on her lips.

Lilith could have sworn he growled while answering.

"Your problem, monster."

'_Yeah, fuck you to._'

She twisted on the ground a little, testing the strength of the ropes. Unfortunately, she wasn't in some kind of adventure novel and breaking the tight ropes with sheer force was out of the way. Instead, she bent her legs, trying to reach the tiny knife strapped to her lower leg.

'_Wow, I never thought Kali's precaution would come in handy. Then again, I never thought I would meet a real cultist._'

She let go of a little nervous laugh. It was either that or the panic attack.

"You have a nice laugh"

The voice was coming from her left and almost gave her a heart attack. It seemed to belong to a young girl and gave Lilith the impression of a continuous laugh, but not the good kind of laugh, the bad one. She jerked back from it.

"Hahaha, don't worry I can't touch you." She spoke in cadence, as if it was some sort of song. "There is metal between us." There was a big bang, like if someone had smashed his head against iron bars.

"Don't suppose you're a metalbender?" The girl said before bursting out laughing like it was the greatest joke in the world.

'_Okay...'_

Lilith lowered the barriers around her mind, extending her mind toward her. In retrospect, it was a big mistake. It was as if she had jumped into a pool full of sharks while covered in cuts and fresh blood. Immediately, she was psychically assaulted from all sides. To Lilith, it felt like claws were scrapping against the inside of her skull, shredding her thoughts and eating her mind. In the background, the sound of chewing and the laughing were mixing together in some sort of visceral song and only made any effort of concentration from Lilith excruciatingly more painful. The last thing she heard before blacking out was a long scream that echoed inside her own mind, her own.

* * *

Kiyoko was frustrated. She had joined the Equalists half a year ago, truly believing into their ideal of equality for non-benders, but now, she couldn't even recognize them. From calm protests, petitions and pacific protestation they had gone in less than a month to kidnapping, intimidation and even some kind of elite hit squad. Shit, she felt more like some kind of thug working for a Triad than a non-bender's rights defender. Now, she and two others like her were stuck down, guarding the one-car large entrance tunnel from the underground with one of those freaky guys from the special group who made her feeling uneasy just by looking at him and his freaky face tattoo. Also, why were they guarding a tunnel and why were they having a secret meeting. They weren't criminals, so why would they hide from the metalbender police? And what was gonna happen at the 'Revelation'? And why couldn't she go to some of the floors? All those questions were plaguing her mind and, of course, nobody was answering them. Hell, some of the friends she had made when she joined had begun to shun her after she had said she didn't actually have some kind of personal hatred against benders.

"...UnderHives are some two steps from hell and down there people wouldn't even raise an eyebrow to a guy who likes to fuck the decapitated body of a dead animal in public. They would ask where the hell he found a living animal though but that's another question entirely. Anyway, compared to that, libertine ways are considered prude."

'_What the hell is that?_'

The voice was coming from farther down the tunnel, way over the small light circle casted by the light bulbs over the door and, just a little less strange than the bit of conversation Kiyoko had heard, was the voice itself. It had a strange metallic tone to it, like if the person was speaking through a wonky radio transmitter. But rather than make it sound funny, it gave it a violent edge that Kiyoko could feel even at this distance.

"Yeah, I guess we do look a little prude."

The second voice was more normal, but there was still something slightly unsettling about it.

"If by that you mean that you make a Sister of Battle look like a hedonistic young noble-girl on her spring break, then yes."

"I... don't get that one."

"Hmm, yeah, my bad."

"Bah. Hey, we're here."

Kiyoko could barely see the two forms at the edge of the light. One looked over six feet tall and clad in some sort of black clothes... or armor. She could hardly see the details except for two bright blood red eyes that pierced the darkness and were fixed on the Chi blocker. The other girl was smaller and slender, holding some kind of elongated tube.

"Excuse me; is this the entrance to the Equalist's underground quarters?"

Nobody answered because, seriously, what are you supposed to answer to that.

"Kali, based on the stupid outfit, I'd say yes."

"Yes, quite right Azula. Now, you all have twenty seconds to surrender under penalty of death."

'_What?_'

The weird Chi-blocker at her side made a step forward, intended on shutting down the fool. But before he could even utter a single word.

"Ah, everyone except you. **Filthy cultist.**"

'_What the fuck?_'

A second latter, three humongous bangs resonated inside the small underground space, deafening everyone for a second. Just in front of Kiyoko, the freaky man's chest exploded like... well fuck she had never seen a chest explode before and couldn't think of any 'like'. One instant he was standing, the next he was on the ground and all of his upper chest was nothing but shredded organs, pulps of bloody flesh and shattered bone splinters, all bathing in blood. It was as if someone had dug his chest open with a hatchet until the only thing left was his lacerated spine.

"What the fuck!"

Kali watched as the man's chest exploded into red mist.

"Dumdum bullets, perfect for dumbasses without armor."

"I still preferred the grenade idea."

"Well, keep it ready because we might still need it."

Kali turned her attention back toward the now terrified Equalists.

"Hey you! 10... 9... "

"I surrender!"

"Please don't kill me!"

"Oh spirits, please don't let me die!"

They all more or less threw themselves at the ground or fell on their knees, pleading for their lives while crying.

"Hmm, I expected more resistance." '_Man, I'm too used to true scums._'

"Does that mean we won't throw the grenade?" Azula seemed truly disappointed.

"Not for now. But I don't doubt there will be many opportunities soon."

Still aiming her Carnodon at them, she began advancing toward the pleading Equalists.

"Everyone, hands in the air and heads to the ground. Now!"

They complied, not like they had any other choice anyway except for death. In a matter of seconds, two of the three Equalists were unmasked, bounded and gagged.

* * *

"Couldn't we shoot them in the legs so that they won't run away?"

"Azula, if you had more than half a day of training with firearms, I would slap you."

"What?"

"Shooting their legs. Why not saw off their feet while you're at it."

"Oh come on. It can't be that bad."

"Were you not there when I exploded that man's chest two seconds ago?"

"Yeah, but you were using special bullets."

"Azula, even with normal bullets he would have died. Dumdums simply deform on impact, transferring more of their energy to their target and reducing the risks of over-penetration."

"Over-penetration?"

"Let's just say that a regular bullet could moderately pass through a regular building and kill someone on the other side."

"But we are underground."

"I also don't want ricochets everywhere either, which are another possibility."

"Oh, okay. You know, guns seem a lot more complex than I had thought."

"Yes, it's often the case with a lot of things. Now get on with the ropes."

"Yes Ma'am."

* * *

The last one, Kiyoko, Kali gripped by the hair and forced her to stand.

"You, listen to me very closely." With her free hand, she tied the iron collar around the crying girl's neck.

"Please don't kill me."

"I won't, but this might." She pointed at the collar. "That, is an explosive collar. One that will blow your head off the moment I have the slightest doubt that you're not leading us into a trap."

Kiyoko gulped. What the hell kind of madness was that, explosive collar?

"From now on, you are our guide through the Equalist base. Don't screw this up and you might get out alive."

"Anything. Please don't hurt me."

She shoved her toward the door.

"That's entirely dependent on you. Now call the other guards."

"W... what other guards?"

"The ones on the other side of the door."

"There aren't any."

Kali stood silent for a second before letting go of yet another sigh.

"You mean to tell me that the complete defense of the underground entrance to your hidden base is a grand total of four people just standing outside the door?"

Kiyoko's nod only added to Kali's exasperation.

"I should have known there was a problem when we walked up to you without finding any traps but that it would be to that point. Emperor have mercy, who is guarding your principal entrance, a single big guy?"

The Equalist's silence said it all.

"Oh come on! What, the fuck is going on in your minds. You, at least, have locked the door?"

Upon 'seeing' Kali's reaction when Kiyoko failed to answer, Azula bursted out laughing. Kali, her, was not amused.

"I should shoot you all just for the fucking principle of things! How do you bunch of morons can even be considered a threat!"

The Equalist was trembling under the wrath of the armored girl. She couldn't understand why she suddenly was so enraged about an unlocked door and could only hope she wouldn't kill her.

"You."

The curled up Equalist jumped back at the woman's shout.

"Guide us to the kidnapped benders."

"The what?"

"The benders you kidnapped last night."

"We did what?"

'_This place is grinding on my nerves really fast._' "Do you have jails?"

"Umm, well, I think there are some places that could be called that on the second basement."

"Great. Lead us there. Now."

They entered the underground Equalist base and its maze of tunnels. Far from the close quarters bloody fighting Kali had expected, the corridors were mostly empty. Probably because most of them were occupied with the 'Revelation'. They only find one lonely Equalist that got is legs and arms crushed by Kali's power armor strenght and was left gagged on the floor, half conscious. From above, Kali could hear the rumble and talking of the massive crowd. It was still undisciplined and relatively weak as the event didn't seemed to have begun properly, meaning they still had some time to save Zhao, Hui and Lilith without facing the thousands of supporters, a situation Kali would most likely want to avoid. They didn't have enough munitions for them all.

Using side paths and service stairs, they walked down to the second basement. The place was dirty, smelly and obviously badly maintained for everyone. But there was also details that were impossible to explain, the shadows that felt deeper than normal and would linger even under a light, the machinery that seemed to attack them by their placement, the sharpness of every edge, the faint red taint of every light source, all strange things they couldn't explain. To Kali, each was magnified tenfold and made her really worried. Those were the signs that someone or something was actively trying to corrupt this place and the people inside it. And was succeeding. After all, the Equalists were the perfect recruiting pool for a chaos servant, their members already full of rage and frustration against the established order. The only thing needed was a little nudge in the right direction and they would fall, willingly dooming their soul to the eternal torture of Chaos in order to further the mad wishes of some maniac. Now, the only thing left to find was the one who had started this hell train and grind him under the wheels.

They finally met their first Equalists when they arrived in sight of the guard room separating them from the prison area.

"So, behind this door there are four guards?"

Azula said as they were standing in front of the slightly rotten door. Indiscernible from any other door if it wasn't for the laughter coming from the other side and the crudely drawn Chaos star on it.

"Yep."

"Does that mean that..."

"Yep."

"Sorry, but what are you talking about?"

Both Azula and Kali turned back toward the Equalist guide who immediately took a step and couldn't repress a squeal when she saw their smile. Well, she couldn't see Kali's smile under her black helmet but she was pretty sure she was. Anyway, the girl wielding the long tube slid it on her back and grabbed something on her belt. It looked like a tin can stuck atop a wooden stick. What was she going to do, club all four? She then unscrewed the bottom of the stick, leaving it dangling at the end of a white cord, and kicked the door open.

"Gift from the Inquisition, motherfuckers!"

Azula pulled the string, starting the five second fuse before throwing it directly at the face of one of the Pai Sho players. They hadn't even begun to understand what had just happened that Azula had already closed the door and taken cover behind Kali's armor. The explosion rang through the underground base, making the weak door tremble, Azula smile and Kiyoko fell to her knees. That was the fourth explosion she had heard in less than an hour and it was four too many.

Azula, felt the rush of adrenaline through her body when she charged the weak door, kicking it open for a second time with her shotgun in hand and revealing the carnage. Lying just in front of her was what had once been a woman in her thirties in an Equalist uniform. The explosion of the grenade had transformed the bottles, Pai Sho chips and other relatively harmless objects in the room into murderous flying fragments that had ravaged her face to the point it wasn't anything more than a badly arranged collection of bloody shreds of skins. In the middle of this patchwork, what had once been her mouth was coughing blood, the result of her lungs having been obliterated by the explosion's blast. Same thing for most of her internal organs. The other Equalists in the room were in a similar state, all living their last instants or already dead. Azula had a second to observe all of this before the door just in front of her was violently opened, revealing another one of the damned Equalists with a surprised look on his face and holding a bloody wrench. They looked at each other, both as surprised, before attacking. Azula pressed the trigger of her weapon, but panic is bad for accuracy, especially for a beginner, and so she only managed to scratch the side of his left arm. He wasn't going to slow down simply because lead pellets had teared the skin of his arm after all. The man's wrench smashed against her left arm, snatching her weapon from her grasp and sending a wave of pain through her body. Before he could hit her again though, she tackled him through the door he had come from. They fell down the five step stairs, rolling and scratching at each other, both trying to gain the upper hand in the struggle for their life.

'You wanna live? Fight like a dirty dog you idiot.'

Kali's words rang in Azula's mind. She was right, this fight wouldn't stop when one of them would fall unconscious, it would simply when the other would die. And to survive, she would do anything. She jerked her head forward and let her teeth close on his flesh before ripping off his lower lip. He yelled like a grox whose being gutted but it didn't stopped her, only motivated her. She attacked again, digging deep into his throat, clawing his eyes, doing all she could think of to make him release his grip and when he did, she reached for the knife Kali had given her. The cold steel blade cut deep inside him, again and again, until his chest was nothing but bleeding holes and Azula was left panting over him.

Kali walked up to her, Azula's shotgun in one hand and the terrified Equalist in the other.

"Well, you surely wear your name like a charm little psychopath."

She raised her head toward the black armored Inquisitor, her face still covered with hot blood.

"That a bad thing?"

Kali had a chuckle. "Not in my line of work. But they might not agree."

Azula looked around her. Attached to the walls with chains, there hands behind their backs, were the kidnapped benders, all looking at her with a look of horror on their faces. Those looks could have broken the mind of a normal person, but Azula only felt pride. They were afraid of her, they who had despised her for what she was, all of them who were more powerful benders than her, and yet, they were shitting their pants simply by looking at her. Yes, following Kali had been the right choice.

"Come on, get up. We still need to rescue your friends."

"Right."

She stood on her feet and retrieved her weapon.

"Zhao, Hui, Lilith, we're here, where are you?"

"Azula."

Hui's voice came from the back of the room. There, it was a scene of torture that awaited them. Zhao's shirt had been removed and his arm had been tied to a pipe hanging from the ceiling. Numerous bruises and open wounds were covering is body and his face was but a red swelling pulp of flesh, both his eyes being closed.

"Zhao!" Azula rushed to him. "What happened to you?"

"He played the hero, as always."

The blue dressed bender was kneeled on the back wall and tied to the ground. With a little effort of the mind, Kali ripped them off.

"Care to explain?"

He raised himself from his prone position.

"One of those freakos threatened to beat one of the Red Moonsoon girls and so Zhao insulted him. That's the result"

'_A chivalrous idiot then, interesting._' "Hmm, where is Lilith?"

"No idea, I haven't seen her since the restaurant attack."

"Okay, go help Zhao."

He nodded before re-joining Azula who was already trying to detach the metal chain holding the unconscious young man. Kali, herself, lifted the Equalist woman so that they were face to face.

"You. Any other place where they could hold someone?"

She stuttered at every word. "Th.. there is... is a... another flo... floor... bu... but it's, 's unused."

"Good." She turned toward the trio of friends. "You, get out of here. I'm gonna go get Lilith."

"Hey! And us!" That was the cry of the captured benders.

Kali stayed silent for a second. "Azula, you're in command, it's your choice. Me, I'm going. Don't blow yourself up girl and no stupid risks."

She smiled, blood still tainting her teeth "Yeah, yeah." '_Crone._'

'_Brat._'

'_Mummy._'

'_Barbie_'

The rotten wooden door closed behind Kali as she entered the corridors once again, led by a woman who was more and more sure she had died and had been sent to some kind of horrible hell. Again, they reached their destination, a rusty elevator, without encountering so much as a soul. Though, the moment she stepped inside it, she felt nausea take her to the throat. That was the corruption of Chaos, the true one. The one that follows the servants of the ruinous powers wherever they go, the one that tainted the air during their ritual. When the machine stopped, she felt her mind being assaulted by angry Warp predators hungry for the mind of a psyker, the kind that haunt psykers from the moment they are born to their end. She chased them away, they couldn't do anything to her and her trained mind. They wimped away in fear, as cowardly as all of the Warp's inhabitants when facing a power superior to them. With that over, she stepped out of the elevator and into her usual universe. Beside her, the Equalist was curled up on the ground, crying. She ignored her. Her helmet advanced system switched to night vision, coloring the whole place in shade of bright green. There was a single path leading to a series of cages marked with sorcery symbols and with their doors wide open. Inside these cages, she could see many corpses and, lying in the path, two living minds.

"Lilith."

* * *

Lilith woke up with the taste of bile in her mouth and a layer of the disgusting liquid she had fallen into, dried on her face.

"Hey, you're awake. I like you, you're silent, I'm gonna call you quiet. How is it going Quiet, lovely weather today don't you think?"

"What?"

Lilith's mind was hurting like never before. It was taking almost all of her concentration and will to simply prevent the beasts from the other worlds to shred her mind to pieces. She was thirsty, hungry, tired, but she wouldn't die, not here. That was the thought that made her continue to fight.

"Food?"

"Hey, Quiet, you're a real chatterbox today. You know well they only serve food yearly around here."

Meaning they didn't served food to the prisoners.

"How long, you..."

"Me, I've been here a month, or was it a day or a week or an hour, sometimes I am not even here yet."

The worse was that her tone was staying joyful at all times.

"How, survive?"

"One of the guards thinks I'm cute."

"How..."

As the word left her mouth, Lilith realised what she meant. That was too much for her system already on the edge. She threw up what little was left inside her stomach as the feeling of sickening horror overtook her. How could she be so gleeful and merry when everything around them was nothing but a chaotic madness of monstrosity? Was that what the victory of Chaos meant for the world? A hellish inferno to which no human insanity could ever compare. And what could she do, alone, to fight against it.

'_Humanity is not alone._'

That was what Kali had said.

'_We have Him._'

The Emperor. Kali had talked about him and she had listened, but what could someone maybe a galaxy away do.

'_In your moment of despair, pray. He might not hear you, but His and our enemies surely will, for distance and time are nothing in the Warp and every cry of defiance against them echo for eternity._'

Yes, that was what He could do. From the depths of her mind, words she had heard a thousand times from the mouths of thousands of humans when inside Kali's memories came to her.

"Mighty Emperor, spread Your divine light to protect me from the darkness."

"Hey! What are you saying Quiet?"

The chewing sound stopped.

"With all my strength,

With all my will,

With every fibre of my soul,

I pledge my soul and my Faith,

To the Immortal Emperor,

Shepherd of Humanity."

The chewing had stopped, replaced by the howling of a hound on her right. He was throwing himself against the bars of his cage in what seemed like a furious attempt to break them and attack Lilith. At her left though, the girl's constant sniggering had stopped, replaced by silence. Finally, Lilith, in the dark, cold, hungry, thirsty, felt a little flame of heat around her body that pushed the beast away.

This moment was shattered by the rasping sound of the elevator coming down and the Equalist exiting it.

"You! Shut up!"

He rushed up to her cage.

"Or what?" '_Oh good. I have gained faith but I still have a big mouth._'

At her side, the girl began to laugh again, though this time Lilith could clearly hear faint sobs through it. The Equalist didn't answer her comment, rather, he made his way to another cage, or so Lilith guessed. There was the sound of a door opening, then the growl of a creature followed by the impact of a fist against flesh and a whimper. Next was the dragging of a form, the opening of what was probably the door to her cell, something thrown into it and which landed somewhere close to her.

"Have fun between you bitches."

To complete the horror of the situation, the man then opened the third door, the one at Lilith's left.

"Fuck you asshole!"

He only laughed at her insult before punching something fleshy and sobbing. On the ground, Lilith began scrambling to get the knife she had dropped when she had fallen unconscious before whatever beast that had been dumped with her woke up. Of course, the moment she felt the blade under her fingers was the moment the creature decided to awaken, almost immediately beginning to sniff in her direction and growl. Completely in the dark, Lilith kicked. Miraculously, her boot landed on something fleshy like. Unfortunately, the thing she hit did not take it kindly and responded the only way he knew, attack. She felt fur, teeth, slime, the fiendish smell of a filthy animal, an impact against her leg when the beast charged. Then, against her feet as she fought back. She owed most of her survival to the sturdy clothes Kali had insisted she wore, though the beast still managed to bite deep in the flesh of her legs, even ripping part of her leather boot and sending shots of pain through her body. On her back, she felt the small blade cut at the ropes and her arms on equal measure, but she didn't care. Better to shred her own arms than to die under the claws of a freaking bitch. She could smell the breath of it as its jaws slammed mere centimetres away from her face and it was only, ironically, the ropes that prevented its claws from ripping at her chest. Then, after finally one last cut on the flesh of her back, the binds were severed and freed her. Still holding the knife and pumped with adrenaline, Lilith struck at the creature. She felt a brief pressure, then, a roar. Again, she stroke, then again, and again, and again. The roar became many, then a pitiful moan and then, it fell silent. Lilith knew she was standing over the corpse of a beast, she could still feel the hot blood on her hand. She also knew what the cries of the girl on the left cage, the sound of flesh against flesh, the heavy grunts, meant. She could hardly feel her legs, could hardly breathe, and could hardly stand. Furthermore, it would be way easier to escape while he was distracted and if she was alone.

On automatic, her body began to walk. Inside her mind, she could see the room being drawn, the psychic sharks circling around her but not attacking. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that her bracelet runes were burning around her wrist. She left her cage, turned and walked into another one. Here, the scent of filth was mixed with the one of unique body fluids, combined with the despicable grunts and fleshy sounds, it made her want to puke.

"I will destroy all who seek to destroy me."

"What!"

He tried to turn, but it was too late. The cold metal penetrated his flesh, cutting his artery. In an instant, he had fallen from the deepest low of pleasure and was reduced to a coughing husk desperately trying to expel the blood rapidly filling his throat. Unfortunately, he still had enough strength to jump at Lilith and tackle her to the ground. He grabbed her head and smashed it against the cold metal floor repeatedly, is sticky blood flowing down on Lilith's face while she continued to stab the raging dog that he was, holding her knife so tight she could feel it against her bones. It was who would stop first that would die and neither wanted that. Slowly though, the wounds from the blade proved more deadly than the head impact and the nausea/nose bleed they brought. She hit him until he was nothing more than a smelly rag doll spazzing on the ground, then again, just to be sure. When she finally stopped, a strange silence fell on the darkness, only punctuated by Lilith's heavy breathing and a gentle crying. She stood silent in the darkness, immobile, her mind slowly coming to considering the fact that she had just killed a human.

'_No, later, think about it later. Now, need to move, yes, move, escape. Think later_'

She grabbed the curled form of the girl, lifting her between her arms. She didn't resist in the slightest.

"Come on, we need to get out of here."

Again, she left the cage, this time with a little more weight, and began the long walk toward freedom. Each of her steps left a bloody imprint behind, the result of her many legs wounds.

"Fuck. Why do we need blood anyway?"

She fell on her knee, her body unable to even support her.

"Okay, I need a new plan."

It was then that the elevator began to descend, again with its damnable rusty sound.

"Oh fuck me."

That was when she fell to the ground, her weak mind suddenly assaulted by fresh horde of the psychic horrors. The last thing she saw before passing out for the second time were the black armored legs of the one inside the elevator.

"_Hey, I've seen those before._"

* * *

Kali rushed up to the unconscious Lilith and the half-naked young girl, no more than thirteen. The former was badly wounded; something had bitten deep into her legs numerous times while someone had slashed her back. For a second, she was also worried about the cuts on her face before realizing it was only a dried mix of blood and vomit. The second girl was a little less damaged, on the surface at least. She had many small cuts but nothing threatening, bruised wrist scratched knuckles, two black eyes, a split lip, grip marks on her ankles and legs. In an instant, Kali had a pretty good idea of what had happened to her, especially considering she had fewer clothes left than Kali had when she was walking in her underwear. The really intriging thing though, was the faint psychic puls she was feeling from her. It was way less powerful than from Lilith, but more familiar than the sligtly weird aura of benders. Something for latter.

"Lilith, can you hear me?"

Only a faint mumble answered her question.

"Well, at least you're alive."

She turned back toward the elevator.

"Hey you!" She shouted at the Equalist woman. "Come here, now!"

Kiyoko dragged herself from her corner, on the verge of throwing up from the smell.

"What?" The scary crouched woman was barely visible in the shadows.

"Get here and help!"

She advanced, coming in sight of the lying body.

"Give me your shirt."

"What hap..."

"Now!"

She removed the top of her uniform and gave it to Kali who wrapped the naked girl in the tissue.

"Okay, now you transport her."

"What? W..."

Before she could even react, she was pressed against the wall, a literal iron grip around her throat.

"This girl has been raped and beaten in the dark for who knows how long, each day, maybe each hour, so you will hold her like she was made of crystal until I say so or by the Emperor I will break every useless bone in your body until you do! Understood?"

"Yes! Yes, please don't."

Kali threw her to the ground.

"Good. Now do it."

They all climbed back up in to the elevator, Kiyoko holding the girl and Kali with Lilith.

"Are we heading back to the underground?"

"No. Too long."

The elevator stopped in the backstage of the 'Revelation'.

"The exit?" Kali asked.

"Huh, I..."

"Now!"

"That way."

They began to run through the service path where the details of the 'Revelation' properly speaking had been carried out, passing oblivious Equalists too focused on the great Amon's performance that, apparently, basically boiled down to a gladiator fight. Were there any security measures in the event of one of the benders attacking the crowd? Probably not if Kali relied on what she had seen before on the intelligence department from the people of this planet. She was in the middle of these thoughts when the screams began.

"What the..."

And then they ran into the Avatar. To Kali, her sudden appearance had the equivalent of a psychic blind grenade being set of in her face.

"Ahh!"

The brash teenager jumped back at the sight of the armored figure and the Equalist accompanying it. Her system still full of the fight adrenaline against the wrench wielding man, she reacted on instinct. Kali, still half blinded, felt the build-up of power inside the girl half a second before she actually threw the fireball at her. That was all she needed to turn and prevent an unconscious Lilith from being burned.

"Stop!"

Korra stopped.

'_Wow, didn't think it would work._' "I'm not an Equalist."

"Prove it!"

"How?"

"Huh...?"

The Avatar began thinking, a long process Kali had no time for. She removed her helmet.

"Remember me?"

Her face lit up.

"Hey, yeah. Where did you go after we got captured?"

"I managed. What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I asked first." '_Emperor, am I really using that childish retort._'

"Well, I'm here to rescue a friend who got captured yesterday by the Equalists."

"Really? What a coincidence, me too."

"Oh." She looked at the form between Kali's arms. "She's okay?"

"Yes." '_Only a small concussion that may or may not have left permanent damages._' "Now, what are those screams?"

"Oh that." Korra smiled. "I used steam as a distraction so Mako could help Bolin."

"The steam in those pipes?" She pointed at the many pipes around them.

"Yep."

"The high pressure, extremely hot, steam in those pipes was released as a distraction... on a crowd?"

"Yep."

She obviously wasn't getting the point Kali was trying to make. Kali herself couldn't decide if the Avatar was a true psychopath or simply completely unaware of the consequences of her actions. It was almost as if she had lived all of her life in a sort of consequence free gilded cage where no one had thought to teach her about the word. Anyway, the moment her actions would be revealed, if Equalist supporters weren't already convinced that the benders were truly violently oppressing them, then they certainly would be. And that wasn't even mentioning the several people who had probably been severely burned by the steam.

"Okay, any idea where the exit is?"

"Huh...?"

"Too bad. Good luck."

In one movement she put back her helmet on and resumed her running with Kiyoko, leaving a little stunned Korra behind.

"Was that the Avatar?"

"Yes."

The Equalist's mind was running with the possibility the Avatar could open for their movement.

"Could she help the Equalists, helping us in our claims for equality? Like, using her status to negotiate pacifically with..."

"She will try to kick Amon in the face to stop the Equalists she thinks are evil. Left or right?"

"Right. But that won't solve anything. And we're not evil, not all of us at least."

"I know. Left or right?"

"Left. But can't she..."

"Whatever idea you have, if it doesn't involve kid logic and punching, she probably won't help."

"Really?"

"Unless she proves to be a genius manipulator, yes. Unfortunately, I really doubt she is."

"Oh." Her tone was visibly depressed.

"Left or right?"

"Left."

Kali kicked open the last door between them and the foggy night. In the air, she could already hear the particular siren sound of this city's medical emergency vehicles, confirming her theory of burned people. As the crowd of Equalists dispersed through the streets, Kali, Lilith, the hostage Kiyoko and the young girl faded into the night.


	5. Recruitment and Gala

Hi. This chapter is a little smaller than usual and a little less dark. It is a sort of calm before the war, when the generals look at their troops and start drawing their plans. In the next one, be ready for the first battles, investigations and conversion.

DeathAdder47117: As always, thanks for the help. Even from under the paperwork mountain which is now your new home.

_**High** **Gothic**_

**Low Gothic  
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_Thought_

Still really open to review and I hope you have a great time reading.

* * *

**Thought for the Day**: Life's so much easier when you've got someone to blame. Gilbran Quail

Inquisitor Kali reflection: For once, I couldn't agree more. As long as I'm not the one blamed that is.

* * *

Lilith woke up to the sound of a slow rumble. It was some sort of low background hum that she could hear faintly playing in the back of her mind.

"Feeling okay?"

She almost jumped from the bed she was in when she heard Zhao's voice, rising so fast from her lying position that her head collided with that of the leaning boy. In a moment of pure awkwardness, or was it simple stupidity, they both felt a sharp pain shoot through their heads.

"Ahhh!"

"Shit!"

They spent the next minute holding their heads between their hands and with their teeth clenched. Once she had regained enough senses and her head had stopped ringing like a bell, Lilith began to observe her surroundings. First thing, someone had changed her clothes for thin white pants and a similar t-shirt. Second, she was in one of the large underground rooms Kali had had cleaned and refurbished. She could see ranks of beds at her right and left, all with the same pure white blankets, sheet's rails on the ceiling, many wall cabinets marked with a red cross and the inevitable skull in the center, thanks Kali, really reassuring, and, just beside the door far to her left, an isolated room full with what looked like medical equipment. Third, Zhao was wearing the same thing as her and it did not do a lot to hide his build, which probably meant the same thing for her. Fourth, his face was bruised, really badly bruised. He had a bad looking black eye while the other was completely swollen, at two places his lips was cracked, had stitches starting at the upper right of his forehead, just a little under his hair, and which continued down to his chin, his left cheek was a strange shade of black/yellow and his nose was still a bloody red color.

"What happened to you?"

He sat back on the bed to her right, grunting.

"Same things as you, got captured by the Equalists, dragged to a dungeon, chained to a wall, the usual."

"Except I didn't get beaten up." '_Probably because they didn't have the time._'

"Yeah, glad about that. Sorry I couldn't help you though."

"Bah, it's not like you could have done something. And I'm pretty sure you got that face by playing the hero for someone else."

He had a smirk that turned into a painful wince. "You're the fourth person to tell me that."

"That's because everyone knows you always play the big damn hero. That's even how we met."

They both smiled at the memory. "Yes, I remember. It seemed so dramatic and important at the time. And now..."

"Now it looks so harmless and unimportant."

"Yeah, the Triads don't even sound remotely dangerous anymore."

A heavy silence fell between the two for a moment that extended for way too long.

"So... how long was I out?"

"Oh, about a day." He turned toward the clock on the wall. "It's almost supper."

"Wow. What happened?"

"When?"

"When we got separated."

He took a moment to think.

"Pretty much like you I suppose. They threw us into a car, drove us to their base, grabbed us, chained us into their prison and, a day later, Azula and Kali blew up the door and saved us and the Red Monsoon."

"The Triad?"

"Yep, Azula helped them too and they tagged along with us back to the factory."

"Hmm, wonder how Kali reacted?"

* * *

Kali looked at the twenty or so members of the Red Monsoon with Hui and Azula at their front. Some beared the mark of their brief imprisonment in the form of red wrists, others in black eyes and wounds hidden under their clothes. Whenever she turned her gaze toward one of them, he or she would avoid it, diverting their eyes away in fear. She was still wearing her armor after all.

"I guess you have a pretty good explanation for having them brought back with you."

Azula actually turned her sight toward the Factorum ceiling while Hui scratched the back of his neck.

"Well, the Equalists kinda burned their home and..."

"And?"

One of the girls came forth. She looked around late nineteen with bright sky blue eyes, though she lacked the characteristically strange aura of benders, and dark hair. By the way, about the omnipresence of black hair on this planet, Kali knew the blond hair gene was recessive, but still... damn. Did they kill all of them or what?

"You weren't one of the prisoners were you?"

"No, I wasn't."

Azula stepped up from behind.

"She's Mei, m..."

"Your contact inside the Red Monsoon, yes, it was quite evident by the way you two act." She removed her helmet, surprising the girl and the Triad members. "I'll give you two a room after this."

Pretty much everyone who heard her words suddenly became red, though, to her credit, the girl facing Kali managed to only go as far as a strong pink before regaining her composure.

"I... I didn't think you were a girl" She mumbled awkwardly.

That was probably because one of the first modifications she had had made to her armor was to flatten the chest. The idiot who had designed them had obviously never fought in solid armor and she'd take breast compression any day of the week if it meant she wasn't channelling bullets or swords toward her chest and had better manoeuvrability. Of course, it also meant that when wearing it, to the untrained eye she looked pretty much like a guy. Something she could easily live with.

"Understandable. Anyway, what do you want of me?"

That brought her back on track.

"Yes. As Hui said, the Equalists have burned our home. We have nowhere to go and even if we had, we can't defend ourselves against them."

It was pretty obvious where she was going with that but Kali wanted to see which way she was going to take.

"We can't ask the police to protect us."

"As if they were of any use anyway." Azula remarked, getting a smile from Mei.

"We can't ask the people because to them we're as good as the Triple Threat."

"And how good are you?"

She grinned. "They're a bunch of thugs with more brawn than brain that act like some child bully and who would have been taken down a long time ago if half the metalbending police wasn't more corrupt than a three week old apple. Us, we take money to help people and we're criminals only because the hospitals hate us."

* * *

That, Kali had no problem believing. Republic City had a great medical system, completely free and highly advanced for an Industrial world. Provided that you are a minor, under twenty-one, or pay your taxes that is. For those that didn't fit one of those two categories, well, tough luck. The Red Monsoon had a couple of good water healers as well as both medical knowledge and equipment. Thus, rather than a protection business, they ran a healing business for, let's be honest here, a fairly cheap price. So yes, the hospitals hated their guts.

* * *

"Okay. Continue."

She took a deep breath. "Please, protect us from the Equalists."

The direct route then. It was visibly costing her to ask such a thing and she probably wouldn't have if it had not been for the situation and Azula's influence. Of course, if she had known how much of a favor she was actually doing Kali by doing so, she probably wouldn't have had the same attitude.

"If I accept, know that it will equal to be engaged in the military."

She turned her head toward Azula who nodded. She only had had a day of training with Kali but she totally agreed with that statement.

"Can you guarantee that we will be safe?"

"Nobody is ever safe. But I can assure you that you will be safer than anyone else in this city." '_As well as regularly in deadly danger, but that's for later._'

"That's the best I can hope for I suppose."

"In this universe, yes."

She sighed. '_Azula did say you were a little.._.' "Then, I accept."

"Welcome to the Inquisition."

Had she had any knowledge of the Imperium, those words would have stricken fear into her heart and sent her running away screaming. Here, she had a small smile. Had she known what was going to happen soon, she probably would have run away screaming. Good thing she wasn't the seer here.

* * *

Zhao shrugged. "I don't know, I was half conscious for half of the ride and Hui put me to bed the moment we arrived."

"Maybe she took control of their minds and made them spin on their heads."

"Or she used them as target practice for her fire weapon."

They had a little laugh.

Zhao's face became serious once again. "But more seriously, what do we do now?"

Lilith sighed heavily. "I don't really know."

Zhao staid silent for a second, his expression now serious.

"Kali offered me a place."

"A what?"

"A place in whatever organisation she seems to be putting together. I have no doubt that Azula will accept, if she hasn't already, and Hui will probably accept also, simply because of how much he is fascinated by her technological creation. As for you..." His tone wasn't one of reprimand, more a simple statement of fact.

"Yeah, I'm pretty much in it already."

"That leaves me as the only one left." He paused for a second. "I guess that means I will accept."

"Why?"

"Well, the metalbending police sure won't be able to stop the Equalists, but she might be able to."

Visions of Kali's past flashed through Lilith's mind.

"Zhao, Kali could probably single handedly defeat the Equalists. But... they..."

"They aren't simple bender haters, right?"

"No."

She didn't know how to explain it to him. How could she? 'Hey Zhao, people who make human sacrifices to dark gods who are, by the way, very real and are currently trying to kill us all. Yes, not simply beat us or take our powers away but killing us in the most gruesome way imaginable before sacrificing our souls to an eternity of pain. Would you like to go fight them?' Even she barely believed it and she had lived it.

"Can you show me?"

The question took Lilith by surprise. Could she show him? Well, Kali had shown her the basic of how to connect with another mind, on the surface that is and even that meant a powerful headache and small nosebleed. But maybe, maybe, if she showed him, he would be better able to understand the menace and survive it.

"I can try."

She closed her eyes and concentrated. Soon, the sound and sight of the physical world faded away to be replaced by a dark mental void that erased the world. The only thing left was now the little sparkling shard that was Zhao's presence in the Warp. To Lilith's witch sight it looked like a swirling cloud of small flames, one she entered and enveloped her in an instant. Suddenly, she was inside a storm of thoughts that clashed against one another and her own. She was being stretched and pulled apart, getting brief glimpses of Zhao's memories, bursts of emotions and questions that smashed against her mind. She could feel a part of her already beginning to leak inside her friend's mind, she had to hurry. With an effort of will, she remembered the images and battles Kali had shown her, and after having packed them in a metaphorical ball, sent them inside Zhao's mind. It backfired spectacularly, the equivalent of dropping a bomb in the middle of their both intertwined minds, violently splitting them apart. Her brain was brutally filled with visions of death and horror that were not her own, fields of dead that extended over the horizon, burning bodies, armored giants dispensing death at a whim, humongous and majestic ships gutted by eldritch monsters. Then, the vision shifted. The cacophony of thoughts disappeared; replaced by a darkness so deep she could feel it press against her. The atmosphere became cold, sending shivers down her spine, though her hands were strangely warm. Inside this new odd place, Lilith took a deep breath. A breath that turned into a strangled gasp when she felt a hand grip her ankle. She jumped back, or at least tried but the hand pinned her in place. Completely panicked, she turned her head toward the ground and whoever or whatever was holding her, ready to strike. Then, she froze. Hanging to her was a black empty body of nothingness, a form that slowly raised its void head in her direction.

"You killed me."

The claim was indisputable.

"I...I..."

"You. Killed. Me."

Red scars started to appear all over his body, slicing its dark flesh and letting crimson blood taint the darkness. Though, rather than flow down, the liquid began to creep back toward her leg, progressively engulfing her lower body and dragging her down into some unfathomable abyss.

"No. I had no choice, I was defending myself."

"You killed me."

"You tried to kill me!"

"You. Killed. Me."

She was now waist deep inside the sticky darkness, struggling with all of her strength to escape the inevitable sinking.

"Help! Anyone!"

It was at that point that her right wrist began to both burn and glow with a golden light. It was as if her arm was in fire, but it was a conforting fire. The next moment, a hand grabbed it and violently ripped her from the abyss, erasing the world again.

* * *

"That was a pretty stupid thing to do."

Lilith opened her eyes for the second time, before shutting them just as fast. Damn bloody white lights.

"But then, that's probably why you have stayed with me until now."

After a few seconds of furious eyelash batting, she began to distinguish the form of Kali leaning over her. Rather than her usual coat or armor, she was wearing a stained overall over a grey camisole and her face had traces of grease and oil.

"W... what happened?"

"You tried to mix your mind and his, and when it inevitably turned into a clusterfuck, you lost control. Thank the Emperor or fortune that I choose this moment to come down here and save your ass."

She nodded absentmindedly for a second before remembering the other person involved in her experiment.

"Zhao?"

Kali took a step back, revealing the immobile body of Zhao on the bed.

"He's gonna be okay. Maybe a couple of nightmares but apart from that, probably no lasting effects."

Lilith let out a reassured sigh before reporting her sight back to the Inquisitor.

"So... what now?"

"Now. Well, had we been in the Imperium, now would be the moment where I set you up for a painful and long task designed to teach you something. A two month pilgrimage with one of the non-militant orders of the Adeptus Sororitas maybe or something like that with a lot of discipline and harsh punitions. But we are not in the Imperium and those methods are rarely useful with aspirant psykers."

"Because they are too hard?"

"In a way, but mostly because the Sisters would literally kill you by exhaustion."

"Oh. That would be bad."

"Quite. But as I said, we're not in the Imperium and I made a deal with you considering the use of your powers. Thus, I suggest you dress up and come with me, we just have finally started the machineries."

Now that she had to see. With a wave of the hand, she pushed aside the blanket and put a foot on the ground. That was the moment her sight stopped on the signs branded around her wrist, stopping her in her movement.

"Kali."

"Yes."

"What does this mean?" There was a slight worry in her voice that didn't escape Kali.

She kneeled down, slowly, and wrapped her hand around the marks.

"_**The Emperor Protects.**_"

"Huh?"

"That's what it says, The Emperor Protects. And it simply means I have a lot more things to teach you. Also, you aren't a faithless heathen anymore, which is a pretty good thing, would you agree?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"So you see, nothing to worry about. Now hurry, the machine won't wait forever." '_With the materials I had, they will barely hold for a century without maintenance before crumbling to scrap._'

* * *

They were standing on the rails over the factory's first floor. Under them, the giant Imperial machineries were sprawling over the floor, creating corridors, bottlenecks and fire zones all at the advantage of the defender. Now, as long as she didn't have to attack her own factory, all was good. Now with energy running through them, they were all emitting a low hum and slightly vibrating.

Lilith let out an impressed whistle. "Wow, impressive."

"Hmm, if you say so. Just wait until the basement is over."

"And what's that?" She was pointing at the large and heavy plates of some metals that were being delivered to the factory.

"Plasteel."

"Plas what?"

"Plasteel. It's a unique material, one I can assure you as no impurity, and all the parts have a purpose. The Mechanicus made sure of that a long time ago."

"But where does it come from?" They had their own furnace; Kali knew that, but certainly not ones big enough for that kind of production.

"Side project. I'm actually the new major shareholder of Heavy Metal Industry."

"The Heavy Metal, the biggest foundries in town?"

"Yep." '_The biggest producer of crap steel in town too but that's another point entirely._' "I've made them switch a quarter of their production to military grade, the closest I could at least, plasteel for my personal use."

"Wow. Wait, won't that be bad for them."

"Yes. Well, it would be if they weren't already applying the modifications I suggested..." '_Ordered_.' "them to make. They should be able to double their usual production by the end of the month."

"Oh, okay. And what are we doing with that?"

"Armor plating for the factory."

"Uh huh, and our furnace."

"That, you'll see soon enough."

"Okay, but won't someone try to steal the formula?" Republic City has actually no copyrights or patent laws. Neither did the Imperium but that was another matter entirely.

"Of course people would try. Though I doubt they will have a lot of success without the formula for the critical chemicals."

"Which are?"

Kali pointed to her head. "Here."

"Okay, last question. Where did you find the money?" '_Please don't tell me you simply psyker-wasted their minds._'

"Energy."

"Energy?"

"I am also now the electricity provider for half of this town's factorums. They are still finishing the modification but they should be up and running in less than a week."

"Still, must have cost a lot."

"True, true, I do have some dept."

"Okay, so... what's your plan? And don't say you don't have one, you always have."

The Inquisitor grinned gently. "Why don't you try to figure it out?"

Lilith began to think. Kali never did anything purely out of goodwill, even when she did there was always something she hoped to get out of it. So, the question was; who had she offered her electricity to first? She had to have done this sooner this week but, since no big company suddenly bragged about their newfound electricity source.

"Hmm, you only sold to the small companies, right?"

"Go on."

"But they won't be able to pay a lot, so it wasn't for money. Though, the chosen companies will see a huge boost in their production. One the others will surely notice and when they do they will come to you."

"Exactly, they will beg to me for it and I will gladly take their companies' shares in exchange."

"Nice."

Next, they sat in silence for a time, until Lilith remembered the question that was hanging in the back of her mind.

"Kali. What happened to the girl with me in... the place. I didn't see her in the infirmary"

The answer took a moment to come.

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Of course!"

"Okay, as you wish then."

Through stairs and stairs, they made their way down, way down.

"Hey, Kali. Why...?"

They stopped in front of an armored door marked with runes. Even at a distance, they felt cold and heavy to Lilith's senses, damping them. The closer she was to them, the more uncomfortable she was, like as if she was forced under ice cold water.

"Lilith. Why where you two placed there?"

"I..." The question took her a little by surprise. "I don't know."

"Think, what is the only thing you have and nobody else has."

"Hmm, huh, my powers?"

"Exactly. Then, what does that mean for her?"

"That she has..."

"Right again. Now, how much time has she spent inside her cage?"

The implications fell on Lilith's head with the strength of an anvil.

"Is she?"

"Tainted? Maybe. I didn't discover anything, yet, but the taint of chaos can be deeply hidden. Really deeply hidden."

"And what happens if you... find anything?"

The Inquisitor's face became cold, a solid mask that left no place to question.

"Lilith. The taint of chaos, even the slightest bit of it, cannot be left unchecked. To do so is heresy, as well as pure stupidity. If she is corrupted, even just a little, we will have nothing else to do than exterminate it. If you try to hide it, you will put me, your friends, this city and maybe the whole world between the hands of the Dark Gods. And if you try to stop me, I will consider you lost and damned. Are we clear?"

There had been no threat, nor had she raised her voice, but Kali's words struck fear into Lilith's heart, a deep fear and the conviction that Kali would do exactly as she had said and would not hesitate a second to turn her into ashes if she ever was to be in her path.

"Yes, totally."

As quick as it had appeared, the cold faded away, replaced by a faint smile.

"Good."

The Inquisitor opened the door, revealing a room whose walls where covered with the oppressive runes and lit only by a single light on the ceiling. On the floor, Lilith could see many heavy blankets that had all been pulled together in the corner into a cocoon. Under this pile of tissues, Lilith could see two frightened eyes that looked like they belonged more to a sick beaten animal than a human being. Coming from it was a smell of dry blood, human waste and humid rot.

"I haven't been able to make her talk since she woke up. Now it's your turn."

The don't disappoint me wasn't spoken, but since Kali's next actions was to step back and close the door, it was pretty clear.

Lilith stood immobile, unsure of what to do. Was she supposed to say something or act in some way or what?

"Hey... hey, hi." '_Shit, that's so stupid. Why did I say that?_"

"Quiet?" The voice was faint, barely a murmur.

"Hey, yes."

She took a step into the direction of the bundle of blankets.

"Can I come close?"

There was a slight movement from the batch of clothes that she interpreted as a nod. Slowly and with precautions, she approached the curled up form. Sitting beside it.

"Silence."

"What?"

"There's silence here." There was a strange emotion in those words, one Lilith didn't recognize. "People were always screaming before. Now, there is silence." It was strange to explain the tone she had. It was like the one of someone who has been kept in a cage for years and suddenly sees a perfect night sky, like the scream of freedom of a man who has crawled through a kilometre of sewer pipe to escape an unjust imprisonment. It was so heavy and deep that nobody save for those who have lived it could truly understand it.

"Oh. Well, I hope you like it."

The blankets began to shiver.

'_Shit, what did I say?_' "Sorry, sorry, are you okay. Please be okay."

The shivers became more frantic and were now accompanied by jerked sobs. Panicked, Lilith wrapped her arms around the curled up girl. "What's wrong, what did I do. Please don't be sad."

In a second, the little sob turned into heavy crying and Lilith found herself half smothered by the exploding storm of blankets and with a small burning form hanging to her chest. Tiny arms clasped around her torso with surprising strength and a face full of tears buried itself on her shoulder. Lilith froze under the sudden assault, how to deal with traumatized girls is not really a skill taught in Republic City, nor is it used for a lot. A little awkwardly, she began to hug back the crying girl, letting her sob at will and her tears burn Lilith's neck. She doesn't know how long the girl wept, but when she stopped though, Lilith felt like her ribcage had been crushed.

"Okay, it's okay."

"What now?" Her voice had regain a normal tone, one with a faint trace of expectation that if not careful, Lilith would shatter like crystal.

"I... I don't really know. Kali can keep you safe for how long you want so it's pretty much up to you to decide."

"Kali is scary."

* * *

In another room, the Inquisitor was listening to the conversation through hidden micros.

"You bet I am."

* * *

Lilith let out a small laugh. "Yeah, she's pretty scary when she wants to. But she's strong, really strong. She charged the Equalist's headquarters to save me... and you also."

"She killed them?"

Lilith hesitated for a second, but death talk wouldn't really add any more problems to her mind.

"She and Azula, a friend of mine, killed five of them."

"Good" There was hatred, pure hatred in those words.

"Yeah..." Time to change subject "So, what's your name?"

Silence, then. "I... I don't know." The sob was coming back in her voice.

"Hey, hey, that's not a problem, don't worry. Say, you can choose your own name now. That's cool, right?"

She wiped her tears against Lilith shoulder.

"I suppose." Her voice had dropped again.

The subject change was a bad idea, so let's have another one.

"So, you can do anything you want now."

"Kill them." Cold pure hatred.

Lilith didn't answer. As short as a month ago, she would have panicked, wouldn't have understood why, and would have tried to convince her otherwise, that killing was never the answer, that you should forgive and all what she considered crap for naive idiot. Yes forgiveness and no killing people was good when you were dealing whit humans but they weren't dealing with humans. They couldn't be imprisoned or dealt with, especially not by the metalbending police. To put one of them in a cage with other humans could only end in blood and guts. No, they were animals who needed to be put down with sword and fire, like she had put down the two dogs in the dark. Yes, that's what they were, animals, not humans.

"I think I can help you with that."

* * *

Powered by the Imperial generator, the specially remade furnaces of Heavy Metal Industry attained temperatures never seen before on this planet outside of a volcano. Inside the high tank, various metal and chemicals were melted together until they became something more than a simple metal. When the process was over, they were no longer earth, metal or some kind of stupid old strange definition, no; it was a modern and scientifical alloy, plasteel. The machines were working twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, always emitting a bright red glow and waves of extreme heat. Kali had been wary at first about giving some more Imperial technologies to those ignorant, but sacrifices had to be made and it wasn't like it was her first time doing it. In any case, it was the smallest amount possible. With it, Heavy Metal Industries began to distribute its 'new' metal. It was lighter, stronger, more flexible and easier to work with than any kind of steel. Rapidly, it became a highly demanded product, not only because of its previously mentioned qualities but also because of its uncanny resistance to metalbending. According to one, to bend plasteel was like trying to bend metal with your bare hands, hard, cuts your hands while you're doing it and almost impossible to precisely twist or open. Short, the thing was a bitch to bend, shit you could literally hurt yourself doing it because of the strain the moves placed on the muscles, like moving through gravel. Thus, rather than benders, many construction contractors began employing regular workers that knew how to use a blowtorch or a riveter. The metalbenders of the city protested of course, previously highly specialized and demanded workers they were now simply replaced by a multitude of non-benders. Even the metalbending police tried to stop the production of plasteel, citing 'security reasons' and whatnot. In the end though, the future events made everyone forget about the complaints and after them, plasteel was too much in demand and too useful to restrict. That alone advanced the cause of non-benders more than anything the Equalists ever did.

Kali also produced her own plasteel, true, true military grade plasteel that went into the manufacturing of more specialised equipment. The machine on the different floors of the factorum began to shake and rumble, spitting thousands of bullets out. Most were common rounds, but for one of the rare times in her career, Kali could actually favor quality over quantity for her troops. In fact, she had to. It would take years to shape her people into true elite soldiers and she had only a handful of weeks, probably even less, to turn them from scum to proper soldiers. And so, she only produced a couple of autoguns a day but each was of the highest quality possible. Same thing with all the other high-tech products her factorum was producing. Coming out of relatively small assembly lines were; micro-bead, rebreathers, red-dot sighs, photo-visors and others. From other small furnaces, she began producing low-quality ceramite, from special loom and sewing tables, it was low quantity flakthread and flakboards, from other even more specialized machine, it was small cogitators with a powerful machine-spirit. It was great, but one problem, the production speed. After a week, she only had enough to equip all of her troops with what a regular guardsman would get. Okay, that's a list of seventy-two items at its minimum but still. Operating all this equipment were around thirty handpicked workers, first recommended by the ex-Triad members then mind scanned by Kali to ensure that none were Equalist spies. That did not include those remaking the factory of course, but mind scanning two hundred workers was a feat as mad as it was pointless. Anyway, they were only working on the exterior wall and the outer wall of the underground part, access to any inside corridor meant being fired. It also meant you get a special visit by Kali but that wasn't mentioned. She caught three spies that way, three spies that wouldn't do any more spying now. Their skulls were now stocked in some room for future use while what was left of their bodies had been sent back to the Equalists.

Now, about the soldiers in training. All and all, Kali had twenty-four people at her order. Of that number, four had medical knowledge, five were under fifteen, three over fifty, one was a traumatized wreck and the rest was in a barely correct physical state. To bring them to the level of fitness of an Imperial Guard would be hard work, even more so considering they all seemed ready to pack up and leave by the end of the week. Really, was a training regime including fitness exercises, running, climbing, and more running through mud and such that hard? Well, it doesn't matter because after this first week of heavy training, she gave them their autoguns and their first shooting lesson. Strange how giving someone a cold plasteel death spewing machine can raise their morale. In any case, they were slowly getting there and maybe soon she would have decent troops. She only needed a couple of weeks in order to make them ready to exterminate the cultists hiding amongst the Equalists. Yeah, as if she was going to get them.

* * *

During the week that passed, the Equalists kept a low profile. Restraining themselves to around one horribly mutilated body per night left in the sewers. Back on the Equalist's 'Revelation', by the time the metalbending police had arrived all but a couple of strollers where left in place of the crowd. In a surprising demonstration of incompetence, the metalbenders proceeded to arrest the strollers and brought them back to headquarters before searching the building where the rally had been happening. Useless to say that by that time there was nothing left to find but dust and silence. The next day, the Equalist movement was declared illegal and all its members a criminal. On an, possibly, unrelated note, the media coverage and backlash against the organisation by the city officials made the relatively unknown Equalist organisation known to all of the Republic's territory. Let's just say a lot of people found their message pretty attractive. A message that seemed to ring even more true when one read about the council's hard crackdown on the Equalists. A lot of members with no ill intentions suddenly found themselves branded as criminal and cornered into a situation they never wanted to be in, forced to join the more extreme parts of the organization to get food, protection for their family or simply stay out of jail. Then, councillor Torrlak decided to create an special hit-squad, sorry, 'special unit' in order to hunt the Equalists and their bases with the help of the Avatar. Who surprisingly refused. Thus leading to a shower of gifts more and more expensive ending with a formal party, a party Kali was invited to.

* * *

**Gala Hall**

A half-circle of hungry journalists was surrounding the entrance to the building hosting the special gala in the honour of Avatar Korra. All the important people had been invited to it and as such, anyone walking up the stairs leading to the entrance was sure to be assaulted by the blinding flash of cameras and the questions of screaming reporters. Asami weathered the assault with Mako at her side. It was actually a little funny to see his expression as the journalists closed in on them.

"Miss Asami, what's your relationship with the pro-bending player Mako?"

"Is it true that he is the son of a powerful Fire Nation aristocrat?"

"Any wedding plans?"

And so on and so forth. The verbal assault stopped when the duo passed the large doors and entered the main hall.

Torrlak had spared no tax money for the organisation of the gala and the decoration showed that. Silk sheets in the color of the four nations, gold and silver cutlery, the finest food prepared by the greatest chef, the best light entertainment possible, even the guests who were all dressed in the best attire all in the hope of manipula... convince the Avatar to join his task-force. Calmly, Asami walked through the usual announced entrance and a trinket gift from the host to the guest, etc. This time the gift was a ring with the Republic City symbol colored white on it. Gently, Mako slid it around her finger, his expression way too much stressed for the task.

"Asami, are you sure it's okay for me to be here?"

"Oh, come on Mako. You have all the right to be here with me."

She took his hand in her own, for a pro pro-bending firebender with nerves of steel under fire; he was easily frightened by a simple social event.

"Yeah, but you're the daughter of Hiro Sato, I'm a simple pro-bender who lives in a gym."

"Don't worry. You're a star."

"Yeah, a crashing star maybe."

The voice was full of arrogance and contempt. Appropriate since it was coming from an arrogant and contemptuous man, Tahno. Asami winced a little as she turned toward the pale skinned and dark haired waterbender. He too was in his best clothes, a trophy girl at his side and a smug look on his face.

"Tahno, what a surprise." '_Didn't thought they let vermin like you enter._'

"Asami. I could say the same; I didn't expect they would let street trash enter here." Clinging to his arm, the girl let out a snicker.

At Asami's side, Mako took a step toward the puffed-up star.

"Hey, if you have a problem with me."

"You're gonna do what, punch me?"

Asami saw the firebender clench his fist, apparently ready to strike.

"Come on, what are you waiting for."

"Mako, don't."

Another voice came from behind, dark and carrying the faint traces of unstoppable power.

"I concur."

Asami felt a small shiver in her back when she heard it, slowly turning around to come face to face with what she had been trying to avoid for the last week.

"Kali."

"Asami."

The Inquisitor had traded her usual outfit of black and skulls for a more normal dress. Rather, she had managed to find a dark red robe that covered her right arm and then descended diagonally from there, leaving her other arm bare if not for the mystifying markings that covered it. Long sinuous dark marks that wrapped themselves around her arm and contrasted with the whiteness of her skin. If one looked closely enough, they could have seen a brief Aquila and Inquisitorial I flowing along the black veins, but that was unlikely seeing as it would have meant staring at Kali's limb for a dangerous amount of time. Her left leg was also covered by the dark robe but a slit in the right side revealed the smooth skin of her sculpted leg each time she moved. Only a brief glimpse but it was enough to attract the sight and the mind of anyone not already captivated by her arm or her face. Talking about her face, she had arranged her fiery hair in a seemingly free manner, letting them cascade down her shoulder while freeing her visage. Each time she moved it felt like a fire turning in your direction, a blazing flame with electric blue eyes that plunged onlookers into a trance.

Tahno seemed transfigured by her sudden appearance. How had he not seen her sooner? With a shrug, he distanced himself from the girl grabbing his arm and advanced in front of the beauty.

"Why hello, and what's your name girl?"

She turned her eyes toward him and suddenly he couldn't move, fixed in place by a deep pool of lightning energy. Tahno stayed immobile for he knew not how long before the blue eyes let him move again, leaving him breathless.

"My name is too valuable for me to offer it to such a poor cheater like you."

"W... what?" It's not how he pictured the conversation in his head. "Perhaps you don't know me, I am..."

"The son of a banker who has a habit of buying victory. The only reason you were invited to this event is to be used as a last resort manipulation tool and as such you are useless to me and uninteresting."

That hit him stronger than any punch could have.

"In short, get out of my sight." Her voice felt like a knife twisting inside his guts.

In a haze, he stumbled back inside the crowd under the surprised sight of Asami and Mako.

"This kind of people are amongst the worst. Drinks?"

The moment she said this last word, a servant approached with a platter and three glasses full of liquid. Still unsure and a little disturbed by what had just happened, the couple each grabbed a glass.

"So, Asami. How have you been?" Kali tone had shifted to a light and friendly one.

"Good. And you?"

"Good too." '_My would be soldiers can finally hit the broad side of a barn. They just need a full magazine but who's counting._' "And who is your companion?"

She turned toward the staring Mako who suddenly found himself both blushing under the eyes of Kali and embarrassed under Asami's sight.

"Oh... uh... yes." He extended his hand. "I'm Mako."

"I'm Kali." He had a faint wince when her iron grip clasped around his hand.

"Hey, I heard of you in the journal. You're the one who paid for the hospital bill of those injured by this steam leak. It was some two week ago right?"

"Yes, it was me. I'm surprised you remember that."

"Well, I was there when it happened so..."

"Hmm, you where one of the captured benders? I don't remember you being part of the list." '_Nor inside the prison._'

"Huh, no. My brother was, me I was with the Avatar."

"Ah, I see. Then I suppose you have your own opinion on the subject. Was I right to help them or not?"

"I... I don't really know."

Kali's expression hardened.

"In simple terms. Was I right to help the mostly innocent protesters badly burned by the Avatar's actions or should I have left them, considering most have a hard time getting enough money to pay the rent."

The atmosphere had become increasingly uncomfortable for both Mako who on one hand had seen his brother captured by the Equalists while on the other had recently discovered that some people he had knew for a long time had been caught in the steam cloud, people who had helped him in the past. But then, Kali's expression became soft again with a small smile and the atmosphere rose.

"Bah, don't answer that. I'm simply rambling."

Except she wasn't, but it was more reassuring for the couple to think she was. To disperse the last shred of deranging thoughts, they both took the drink to their lips.

"But anyway, Asami, are you two for real or did you simply decide that your bed was too big and cold for yourself?"

Only to almost instantly choke on it.

"What!" Asami's normally pale face had turned a deep red color while Mako was coughing with his head turned away.

Kali, herself, had a genuine laugh at their reaction. "Okay, I'm gonna assume it's the first option for now with the possibility of the second later."

That did not help Asami's blush or Mako's cough. That did help Kali laugh though.

Thanks to her experience with Kali's antics, Asami was the first to recover her composure and she was in a hurry to change the conversation's subject.

"So, umm, where's your sister?"

"Oh, she couldn't be here tonight but I'm pretty sure she would have liked to see you."

* * *

In a pitch black room on the other side of the street, facing the lit up building, Lilith was observing the gala unfolding through magnoculars and hearing it through the hundreds of micros hidden in the night's trinket gifts.

"Yeah, yeah. Well you better bring some of that food back for that."

At her side, Celestine was also observing the gala. Simply, she used a scoped rifle rather than magnoculars. About Celestine, it was Lilith who had proposed the name which she had found in one of the texts Kali had lent her. The thing was in low-gothic so she wasn't sure at first, only a week of lessons and all, but when she asked Kali, she said it was surprisingly appropriate. Now, the reason Lilith wasn't accompanying Kali to the gala was because Celestine was never more than a couple of meters away from her and as much as a gentle soul she was and helpful to the group members, there was simply no way Kali was going to bring her into a social situation. That was the best way for her to breakdown and start slashing throats with a steak knife. Thus, she and Lilith were on surveillance duty with the former on the role of the sniper. That point had been a real surprise for everyone. At first, she was a pretty bad shooter and seemed a little scared of the weapon. Then, Kali had put Equalist pictures on the targets and Celestine suddenly managed four inch groupings at eight hundred meters with an autogun. As such, they were now a sort of special/sniper team with Lilith as the observer and Celestine as the shooter. There was also another reason for them being a team. Lilith was supposed to observe Celestine for any trace of corruption and, if any, immediately report to Kali. If that was impossible, she was to shoot her in the back of the head on the spot and burn her body.

"Lili."

"Yes?"

"How does that taste?"

"What?"

"That, the little ball thingy?"

Lilith observed the tables for a second before finding what she was talking about.

"The dough ball?"

"Yeah. How does that taste?"

"Hmm, don't know. But I'm sure Zhao will bring some back. Right?"

"Cool."

Let's just say Lilith was willing to do anything to avoid the last order of Kali about Celestine. '_Emperor please don't let it happen._' She whispered to the micro-bead.

"Hear that Zhao, you better bring them back."

* * *

"Understood Lilith. But what do I get?"

Zhao was navigating between the numerous guests, a platter in one hand and a servant outfit on him. With another member of the group, Zhao had been hired as a servant for the gala. Not a difficult thing considering half of those that had worked on the preparation were either on Kali's pay-check or had friends or family working for her. Thanks to that, some of the tables might have had a bulletproof flakboard sheet added under them and a loaded autogun strapped to it. He himself had an autopistol hidden on him in case of any trouble. For information, they also infiltrated the distribution of the special gifts to the guests.

"Well, Celest not blowing your brain half a kilometre away for starters and if you bring a lot I will let you invite me to the restaurant."

"Hmm, this feels like a very one sided conversation and a bad deal for me."

"Well, I could add a big hug to it."

"Friendly hug."

"Not sure yet."

"I'm on it miss."

Their relationship had always been mostly friendly before. But now, with the recent kidnapping and the always present threat of death looming over their heads, they both seemed to have forgotten the petty inhibitions that prevented them from working on their feelings. They weren't planning a weeding anytime soon of course, in part because even if their relationship was miles ahead of what it had been a week ago they really weren't there yet and also because the mix of Kali's influence and life and death situations made marriage seem a little pointless.

* * *

Asami shrugged.

"That's too bad. I would have liked seing her again" She was honest.

"Then why don't you come visit her. Just warn me in advance."

"Of course." She was actually trying to avoid Kali as much as she can. For some reason, she had the presentiment that hanging around her was a good way to get hurt badly.

This polite conversation could have lasted a lot longer if not for the sudden arrival of a rather excited Bolin.

"Hey guys you should totally go try the, oh... hi."

He stopped in front of the tall woman, speechless for almost half a minute.

"Hi, I'm Kali."

"I... Bolin. Wow." He shook his head, realising what he had just said. "Uh, no, I mean..."

"No need to excuse yourself Bolin. Frank reactions are hard to come by these days and yours is flattering, if a little crude."

It took a second for is mind to process exactly what she meant.

"Oh. That's good." He turned toward the couple. "That's good, right?"

"Uhh..." Said Mako while Asami nodded.

"Furthermore. I must thank you on behalf of my sister."

"Your sister, for what exactly?"

"You two had a discussion on the back of an Equalist truck. A discussion that helped her a lot." '_To form a new opinion of the regular bender's intelligence._'

"Really, that was her? Wow, I never thought I would hear from her again. Is she here?" His excitation had come back tenfold.

"Unfortunately not."

And gone was half the excitation.

"But I'm sure she would like to see you again. She talked a lot about you."

"Really?"

* * *

In his back a servant's, who will not be named, hand slid under his shirt, grabbing a plasteel handle.

* * *

In the lightless room, Lilith clenched her teeth.

"Kali, I have a sniper."

'_Celestine has a sniper rifle._' The voice popped inside her mind. '_You have trouble hitting a barn in a corridor._'

Lilith's teeth grinded against one another.

'_Maybe next time you won't use military hardware to set up a date in the middle of a mission._'

"I certainly will use a secure channel at least." She said under her breath.

'_I heard that!_'

Lilith's cheeks became pink for a second.

'_Now get back to work._'

* * *

The conversation between Kali and Bolin, as is assassination by lead poisonning, was interrupted by the announcement of Avatar Korra's arrival. Polite applause was heard from all as the girl in a dark blue dress made her way through the opening crowd, accompanied by the last airbenders. From their spot, the trio saw her marvel at the scene of the gala and the approach of the councillor.

"And here comes the carnodon."

Asami turned toward her. "Why do you say that?"

As an answer, Kali raised an eyebrow. '_Really, you don't see it? Whatever then_'

She was about to respond properly when she catches a familiar sight on the corner of her eye.

"Oh, excuse me but I got to go. Need to talk to someone."

"Wait, my father wil..." Asami tried to protest, without results.

An instant later the Inquisitor had disappeared into the crowd, leaving behind a mildly stunned group behind her.

"That girl..." Mako started.

"Is awesome."

"Is trouble."

Through the hidden micros, Kali heard their answers.

'_Trouble is an understatement my dear Asami._'

Quickly, she made her way through the massed guests toward the edge of the room where discreet journalists had begun to be sneaked in by the servants. One of those, Kali had some words to say to.

"Kiyoko, my friend, how are you doing."

The journalist froze in place when she heard the voice of the Inquisitor, slowly turning on her feet to face her most recent nightmare.

* * *

Kiyoko crashed on the hard ground of the cell she had just been kicked into by the black metal giant. After having left the underground compound of the Equalists, they had run through the city streets like madwomen. At first, she had thought they were going to one of the hospitals, but when the buildings around them switched from residential to industrial, well, before she was frightened, now she was scared to the point she would barely register a car crashing two feet in front of her. The terrifying monster in armor forced her inside one of the factories. In a second state, she navigated the maze of half-finished machineries and dark corridors. At some point she must have dropped the wounded girl into a bed, because when the metal door opened in front of her and the burning smell hit her strong enough to shook her out of her stunned state she was empty handed.

"In." The voice was cold and slightly distorted, without any pity or mercy in it.

"What?"

"In." That was when the foot hit her back and sent her flying forward.

The contact with the ground scratched her hands and arms badly.

"Ouch, freaking hurts."

She tried to stand up but before she even had the time to move a muscle, an iron grip clenched itself around her collar and raised her into the air only to better throw her against the ground again. This time though, she landed on her ass and a pile of ashes. At the same moment a dangling globe on the ceiling was lighted up, framing the massive form of the armored human in shadow over her and way too close to her liking, especially considering it was currently holding a sword to her throat.

"One reason."

"What!?"

She began to crawl back, only for the thing to follow.

"One reason for me not to kill you right now."

Kiyoko's back hit the wall.

"I... I helped you."

"Reason why I kept you alive before. But now I'm pretty pissed off and since I don't have any prisoners to release steam on anymore, so you better have a good reason for me not to kill you."

"Anymore?"

Strange that, that was the thing that retained her attention. Anyway, at her question, the red eyes of the giant turned to the ashes that covered her hands and clothes. A second latter, the equalist understood.

"Oh, please, please don't burn me!"

"Reason! Now!"

"I'm innocent!"

"Innocence proves Nothing!"

"I don't want to be an Equalist anymore!"

The cold blade began to scrape against her skin and a single drop of blood ran down her neck.

"Too late for that I'm afraid."

"Please, I have a brother."

"Sucks for him."

The blade advanced just a little further, cutting her flesh just a little deeper. She closed her eyes, readying herself for what seemed to be inevitable.

"Money, I'm a journalist, I have money!"

She waited for the last moments of her life, memories of her brother, her family, her works, and her life ran through her mind. She tried to hold her tears, without success. One second, nothing, two seconds, nothing. What kind of monster enjoys torturing its victims in their last moment? Three seconds, nothing, ten seconds, nothing. Timidly, she opened her eyes. Facing her, rather than the previous sword pointing monster was a kneeling woman with fire hair who looked at her with cold concentration and an as much cold smile.

"You should have started with that."

"What? Money?"

"No, your job. I do need a journalist."

"You do?"

"Yes. Listen, I can't promise you the same thing the Equalists did, at least not as fast. I also know you didn't join the Equalists to hunt benders. If you come with me though, I can promise that you and your brother will never be in need, that you will be protected and that you will have some of the biggest scoops in Republic City's history."

That seemed to be too good to be true. Especially considering this girl had been holding her at the point of a sword thirty seconds ago.

"And in exchange?"

"You will inform me of any news you get and you will have to publish some articles. And before you ask, If you say no or betray me at any time, you will end up like him." She pointed at the layer of cinders on the ground.

Kiyoko gulped. "I suppose I don't have any choice then."

"Of course you have." The smile became a cheshire one. "Life or death."

"Life?" She said hoarsely.

"Great choice." She extended a hand, helping the woman to stand up. "Now, let's get this explosive collar removed before it malfunctions messily."

"What?" Kiyoko's free hand moved to the metal device.

"Yeah. I cobbled this thing together pretty fast. I'm actually pretty surprised it hasn't exploded yet. Either the machine-spirit is really strong or a slacker of rare sloth level."

"Huh?"

"Anyway. As I said, let's remove that before it blows off your head by accident."

* * *

"Inquisitor Kali." '_Whatever this title means, I doubt it's good._'

"Kiyoko. Just the girl I wanted to talk to."

Those words sent shivers down the journalist's spine. Kali had been true to her word and she had begun to receive envelopes of yuans. She also had been ordered to write an article about the help Kali had given to those wounded during the 'Revelation'. She probably would have written it anyway, though here she had received some instructions like saying it had been the result of a lack of maintenance and the lack of attention of a made up city worker, Rarko. Okay, even she could read through the anagram so she expected her boss to shut down her article on the spot. You don't accuse the Avatar of burning people without losing your job. Unless it's a certain councillor who asks you to that is. So when her editor passed the paper without so much as looking at it, it was kind of a surprise. Had Kali extended her tendrils so deep already?

"About?"

"How does Tarrlok plan to use the journalists to manipulate the Avatar into joining his task-force?"

With anyone else, she would have feigned shock and surprise. Here, it probably would have been suicidal and anyway she wasn't the least bit surprised to learn Kali knew something she herself had learn about only half an hour earlier.

"Well, the councillor gave each of us a lot of money so that we kept her mouth shut during the public speaking of the Avatar. We're supposed to look intimidating I think, forming a mass of flash and voice to disturb the Avatar."

"And I guess one of you had been paid a little more to ask some specific questions."

"That's pretty much it, yes."

"Hmm. The Avatar is a complete moron when it comes to manipulation, it will probably work perfectly."

Kiyoko held her gasp at Kali's word. "You know, insulting the Avatar is..."

"Perfectly fine. Seriously, go read your history. The Avatar is mostly used as a figurehead by various groups when it suits their needs. Except for a rare few, they had almost no impact on political decisions or the world at large, save for a couple of flashy demonstrations. Even the few with political power had it because of their family and connections which had no link to the Avatar status. Avatar Korra is simply the last of a long line of mostly political tools to awe, to frighten and manipulate the common people."

That was said with such cynicism and detachment that it left her speechless. From the moment she was born, she had been told the grand stories of the Avatar's adventures. She had been told time and time again that the Avatar was always a mighty hero who helped the people and maintained the balance of the world. Someone who could influence kings and queens with a word and that those who went against the Avatar where inherently evil or in the wrong. To be told so blatantly that she was a smoke and mirror show to distract peoples was kind of shocking.

"Anyway. I won't hold you any longer. Good night."

And with that, Kali was once more, gone.

* * *

From the pitch black room, Lilith watched tonight's show; The Avatar versus The Media. It started on the wrong foot for the Avatar who stumbled on her opening jab, then an uppercut from a journalist stunned her, leaving her wide open for a right punch on the head immediately followed by a low-blow under the belt. The Avatar was pinned against the rope by that point and barely able to defend herself. In a last attempt, she tried to throw a punch but only managed to knock herself out and fall to the ground. K.O.

"Wow. Well, that was funny."

The voice of Kali rang into her ears, only slightly altered by the micro-bead.

"Good for you. I feel embarrassed only having watched it. Nothing to report?"

Lilith turned to the girl at her side.

"Celest, anything?"

"Equalists"

"What! Where!"

"Side alley, car, three people."

Lilith scrambled a little with the magnocular until she found the said alley. It was almost directly in front of them. In it, she could see a featureless car with a driver and two people on the side currently putting on equalist masks. Good thing Celestine recommended this hiding spot or they could have missed them entirely.

"Kali, I have three possible equalists here."

"Threat?"

Through the zoom of the magnocular, she saw the two masked people strap belts around their chest.

"Possible explosive. Maybe. I'm not sure."

"It's your call Interrogator."

Lilith watched and though, fast. There was a chance the equalists there were simply peaceful protesters, or that they were only people wanting to play a joke disguised as equalists. But there was also the possibility that they were very real equalist fanatics ready to blow themselves up in the gala crowd. In that case, could she ask Celestine to only harm them, so that maybe they could be reasoned with and convinced to stop? No, no she wouldn't. Some time ago she would have, but now it seemed like naive reasoning.

"Celest. Eliminate them."

"Yes." The hatred in the girl's voice was as cold as plasteel.

The weapon let out three humongous bangs as the energy of exploding gas sent shaped lead at supersonic speed flying through the air. The first bullet hit the closest masked man at the base of the neck with a diagonal angle, severing his spinal cord and ricocheting through his subclavian artery before exiting under his right shoulder. He fell like a limbless doll over the hood of the car, shaking uncontrollably as the link between his brain and body had been cut. His friend turned in his direction, surprised and worried at his sudden state. He wasn't for long. The second bullet impacted his chest, deforming inside him and ripping through his lung and heart. He too fell backward, hitting the ground and forming a pool of blood under him, the same blood which was filling his throat and choking him. Inside the car, the driver was panicking. In a hurry, she started the engine, put her hand on the wheel and readied herself to push the accelerator as hard as she could. That was the farthest she went before another lead projectile shattered her wrist and punched through her stomach. She agonized for five long minutes before dying.

"All targets are down." Celestine's voice showed no emotion save a faint satisfaction at their demise, particularly the last one.

"Good." Lilith spoke to the micro-bead. "Kali, problem has been fixed."

"Excellent. Report any other developments and signal a team to be ready for a clean-up."

"Understood."

The conversation ended.

"Lilith?"

"Yes." The aspirant psyker turned her eyes toward the white haired girl.

"What do you think those belts were?"

"No idea."

That was the moment the entire alley blew up into flames, shaking the buildings around it as if an earthquake had happened. In the room where the duo was, the window cracked and the wall trembled.

"Oh. Never mind then."

* * *

A little earlier, inside the gala hall and after the journalists ambuscade, Tarrlok had left Korra to wander freely. She tried to find a journalist, but they all seemed to have disappeared and thus she was left to walk aimlessly through the crowd. She was looking for Mako or Bolin, Tenzin maybe or even Asami would have been okay. She just needed someone to talk to and forget the uncomfortable feeling that had begun to grow inside her stomach.

"Hey, Korra."

She turned at the mention of her name and was left dumbstruck. She could recognize the girl she had met on her first day in the city as well as in the coulisse of the 'Revelation'. During both of those occasions, Kali had always appeared as some strange figure. She was, in Korra opinion, probably pretty. Her hair and eyes also had a uniqueness that made her even more interesting. She also looked like she could handle herself in a fight, even if she wasn't a bender. But now, now she was simply astonishing. And her arm, her arm. Korra had seen tattoos before, airbending ones mostly, okay, only airbending ones, but these were a hundred times more awesome. It was like she had black serpents constantly swirling around her arm and under her skin. In short, she wanted one.

"Kali. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Tarrlok could hardly leave the new major shareholder of Heavy Metal out of his little manipulation."

'_Heavy Metal what? Wait, no, little what?_' "Manipulation?"

"Of course. I mean, it's obvious to anyone with two brain cells that this was a manipulation ploy by the councillor to push you to join his power play task-force."

"What?"

Kali eyed the young Avatar for long seconds before sighing deeply. '_And right here my dreams of you being a secret master manipulator turned into smoke._'

"Follow me."

She guided the girl toward the edge of the room, a little away from the main crowd.

"Okay. Let's start at the beginning so that you will understand the situation in its entirety.- '_If the Emperor wants it, which I hope hard._' -After the 'Revelation', the council declared the Equalists to be a criminal organisation to be arrested on the spot. Was that a good or bad idea?"

"That was good, of course." What kind of question was that?

"Really. Why?"

"This Amon guy took away people's bending." She could not, nor did she, hid the anger in her voice.

"And since when is that a crime?"

"It... it's..." She couldn't answer to that because there was no answer. Taking away someone's bending had never been a crime. In fact, it had never been considered possible by anyone except the Avatar before.

"People associated with the Equalist movement have kidnapped people, that I agree. But to condemn the entire movement for the action of a few and something that isn't even a crime. That will only have one consequence." '_Okay, the Arbites do that often but they have the means and will to do it thoroughly._'

"Which one?"

"Legitimacy. Think about it, only a few people wearing masks attack a couple of benders and automatically the council declares thousands of people to be criminals to be arrested on the spot. Seems to give a lot of credit to the claim of benders oppressing non-benders don't you think? And to who do you think the sympathy will go, to the Triad members who have lost their powers or the countless innocents who are now hunted by the police?"

"Oh. I... I hadn't thought of it before, not like that anyway."

'_Why am I not surprised. You and most of this city apparently._' "In short, by making them criminals, the council just offered them countless support that they never would have had if the whole thing had been dealt about intelligently." Kali let her words set for a second before continuing. "Now, what if I told you the thing was dealt with intelligence, just serving another goal."

"What? But you just said..." The bad feeling she had gotten earlier now felt like a stone in her stomach.

"That intelligence can serve many purposes. Here, who do you think pushed the council to pass this general condemnation?"

"Huh, well, it would be... Tarrlok?"

"He would be the prime beneficiary, yes. Now, that was the situation after the council declared the Equalist; people were afraid of the sudden new menace, the Equalist have an afflux of new members way over their capacity, the benders want something to be done now, etc. Then, come in councillor Tarrlok, he is concerned about the situation, he wants to do something to do protect its people. He announces a special task-force will be put in place, one who isn't slowed down by the constraint of the law like the metalbending police. After all, they have already proved their incompetence when they lost their time arresting strollers rather than investigating the 'Revelation'. No, this task-force will only answer to him, only to him, and arrest all the equalists it can. Except that apart from the uniform, nothing differentiates an equalist member from any random non-bender. So, in short, by using the general fear of the public in his favor, Tarrlok basically gave himself the power to arrest and detain any non-bender he wants without proof and for how long he wishes. Anyone who opposes him, bang, arrested as an equalist member. Though, there is still a problem with that. The public opinion is fickle, so in order to secure his position, he needs the support of a popular pillar, someone the people can't discredit without looking like an equalist. Someone the people have been taught is always right and on the side of good, someone like the current Avatar maybe."

What could Korra answer to that? Kali unfolded in front of her a power plot she had never even suspected, even less thought about. Equalists had always been the bad guys in her mind but she only had met a few. Now, were thousands of people truly menaced to lose everything? And Tarrlok, was this really a plan to gain power? It's true that he never mentioned what his task-force couldn't do; only what it could do. Which was pretty much everything. Dammit, when she had arrived everything was so simple and now she felt like a fly stuck in a spider web. Only the web is a hundred meters wide and there's ten hungry giant spiders surrounding her. But... come on, people aren't like that, right?

She was deep in those thoughts when the whole building was suddenly shaken to its core. Some of the windows shattered and feel on the screaming crowd, tables were overturned as fearful industrials rushed under them, brief; it was two seconds of chaos. In the midst of the panic, Korra felt the cold hand of Kali on her shoulder.

"Korra, I kind of like you. I don't know if it's pity or embarrassment that motivates me but I will give you this one advice. Wise up and quickly, less you become just another political tool like so many of your predecessors." Her expression softened up a little. "**The Emperor protects, sometimes even a filthy possessed like you.**"

She released Korra's shoulder. Around them, the chaos had been stopped by the metalbending police. No doubt this event would be in tomorrow's papers, as to if it was going to favor the police or discredited them even more, only time would tell. Okay not really, it was clearly going to be another jab at them but with the introduction of another view point; The benefits of a private company contracted to act as a police force by the journalist Kiyoko. This article with this new idea would attract the attention of many people. People who didn't matter at the moment but whose opinion would be extremely important in the future. But right now, people were more occupied with evacuating the shaken hall, Korra was occupied sorting out her confused thoughts, Tarrlok was occupied planning his next move, Kali was occupied figuring out Tarrlok's true plan as well as if he could be disposed of and Celestine was occupied dreaming of the dough balls.


End file.
